Weitz & Luxenberg Files First Actos Bladder Cancer Case

This case filing was covered by AP News Writer Linda A. Jonhson with the San Francisco Chronicle- 08/05/2011. The following are excerpts from the article:

Summary of the Issues with Actos and Bladder Cancer

"The maker of the world's best-selling diabetes drug is facing hundreds of lawsuits and likely a big sales drop as suspicion grows that taking the pill for more than a year raises the risk of bladder cancer.

In June, Takeda Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. halted sales of Actos, its top drug, in Germany and France after pressure from regulators.

Since then, both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency have issued warnings about the cancer risk based on new research, but they have allowed sales to continue. Doctors are being told not to prescribe Actos for people who have or have had bladder cancer.

The warning will limit patient choices and could spell the end for a once-promising class of Type 2 diabetes drugs that debuted more than a decade ago amid heavy promotion."

Weitz & Luxenberg Steps in to Help

"In the past week, the first of what lawyers predict will be thousands of lawsuits were filed in courts across the country. They allege Actos triggered bladder cancer, in some cases fatal, in clients who took the pills daily for years.

Nancy Rios, 54, is suing Takeda, blaming her recurrent bladder cancer on Actos, which she took for more than a decade. Rios, a hospital secretary, was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2009. In June, she had her second surgery to remove tumors. Rios, who lives in Reading, Pa., is worried about missing more work and being able to pay her medical bills. Next month, she will learn whether more treatment is needed.

"I could lose my bladder and possibly need chemo," she said.

Her attorney, Paul Pennock of Weitz & Luxenberg, said the firm already represents another 104 clients, has about 120 more expected to pursue lawsuits and is getting 30 to 40 possible new cases a week.

"When a manufacturer distributes a drug, they owe it to the public to ensure that their product is safe for use and it appears that Takeda Pharmaceuticals failed to fulfill that fundamental duty," Pennock said."

Takeda Pharmaceutical's Response:

"Takeda declined to comment on the lawsuits. The company, which is based in Japan, has issued statements that it's committed to keeping Actos available for patients who need it.

Spokeswoman Elissa Johnsen noted an April study in the journal Diabetes Care found Actos "use for more than two years was weakly associated with increased risk."

However, the FDA analyzed data from the first five years of a 10-year Actos safety study Takeda begun in 2002 and concluded this June that risk of bladder cancer was 40 percent higher for patients taking Actos for at least a year, although still small: an extra 28 cases a year for every 100,000 people taking it."

The Doctors Weigh In

"Dr. Harlan Krumholz, a Yale School of Medicine professor who directs its Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, said more long-term data on the effects of Actos is needed.

'It's not clear if this (bladder cancer) risk is real," but Actos and Avandia both are linked to heart risks, weight gain and possibly bone loss and fractures, he said. "The consensus already is that (Actos) should only be considered ... after patients have exhausted all other options.' "

Weitz & Luxenberg is currently accepting Actos cases. If you would like a free legal evaluation of your Actos case, fill out the form below and we will get back to you within 24 hours.
 

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see also:

Side Effects of Actos Information for you about the side effects of Actos
Taking Actos for your diabetes comes with several side effects. Visit Weitz & Luxenberg for more information about the potential health risks of taking Actos.

Actos and Heart Attacks Can Actos can cause a heart attack? Learn more here.
Actos potentially linked to heart attacks. Weitz & Luxenberg is currently investigating cases involving Actos and bladder cancer.

Actos Bladder Cancer Actos Bladder Cancer and Actos Recall, Litigation, Lawyer and Lawsuits.
A recent FDA warning implies that diabetes drug Actos could be related to instances of actos bladder cancer. Visit Weitz & Luxenberg to learn more.