Actos

New York City Actos Injury Lawyers

In the summer of 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a safety announcement concerning the diabetes drug Actos. The release indicated that taking Actos for longer than a year could lead to a heightened risk of developing cancer of the bladder. Though the FDA added this information to the warning label of this dangerous product, the precautionary information arrived too late for many cancer-ridden patients. 

Actos, formally known as Pioglitazone, is approved for use in patients suffering from type two diabetes. It functions as an aid in managing these patients’ blood sugar levels. The drug is a member of a class of medications referred to as thiazolidinediones. Avandia, another thiazolidinedione, was stripped from U.S. pharmacy shelves last spring, when it was linked to a heightened risk of heart attacks. 

Indicators of Actos Side Effects

Several years ago, Actos was linked to an increased risk of heart failure. However, patients were alerted to this reality by the product’s “black box” warning label. Physicians and patients were therefore allowed to make an informed decision about the drug’s risks, when contemplating whether the medication should or should not be included as an element of the patient’s overall care plan. Those who have developed bladder cancer after long-term use of the drug were not given the chance to make an educated decision about this particular risk. 

When the FDA released its safety announcement about the link between Actos and bladder cancer, a joint response was released by the American Diabetes Association, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the Endocrine Society. The release indicated that patients should promptly consult their physicians in order to make an informed decision regarding whether or not to continue taking Actos, in light of the newly illuminated risks. 

However, whether or not to continue on an Actos regimen is not the only decision that these patients may currently face. Those who have developed bladder cancer after long-term use of Actos must decide whether or not they wish to hold Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, the manufacturer of Actos, accountable for the injuries they have suffered. 

Dozens of suits against Takeda have already been filed by patients across the nation. Their lawsuits allege that the pharmaceutical giant not only failed to warn patients about the cancer risks, but also suggest that Takeda knew of the risks and knowingly withheld this information from patients. 

When a pharmaceutical company fails to warn physicians and patients about the risks associated with their medications, in many cases the company may be held accountable for injuries that these medications have caused. In the case of Actos, an untold number of individuals have developed bladder cancer due to long-term use of this drug. Attempting to hold Takeda accountable for their cancer may not heal these individuals, but it may allow them to recover necessary damages and medical costs, as well as bring justified attention to this dangerous drug.