A lawsuit was recently filed in the St. Clair County Circuit Court regarding pioglitazone, a diabetes drug marketed and sold as Actos, Duetact, Actoplus Met, and Actoplus Met XR. According to the allegations listed in the complaint, the defendants were aware of the fact that the pioglitazone-containing drug could cause serious urinary and bladder issues. In addition, the defendants are accused of deception in distribution, failure to adequately warn patients regarding the drug’s risks, failure to monitor the drug’s long-term effects, and negligence.
The defendants in the case are the manufacturers of the drug, Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America Inc., Takeda Pharmaceuticals LLC, Takeda Global Research & Development Center Inc., Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Inc., and Takeda San Diego Inc. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are four diabetics who were allegedly seriously injured by the drug.
According to the lawsuit’s allegations, the four plaintiffs suffered “negative and detrimental effects” to their urinary systems and bladders, including bladder cancer. They are asking for an award of over $1.75 million, plus court fees.
In another lawsuit against the makers of Actos, the plaintiff claims her father eventually died of bladder cancer as a result of taking the drug to treat his type 2 diabetes. This lawsuit was filed on June 10 in a federal court in New Jersey. According to Indiana court documents, over 1,200 lawsuits are currently consolidated in federal court. Another 1,500 have been filed in Louisiana courts.
Reportedly, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration stated in a Drug Safety Communication in June 2011 that an increased risk of bladder cancer may be associated with using Actos for over a year. Prescriptions for pioglitazone-containing drugs were filled for around 2.3 million patients between January and October of 2010 through retail pharmacies.
In light of the current drug safety lawsuit against the manufacturers of pioglitazone-containing drugs, anyone who has taken one of these products and developed bladder cancer or other urinary tract problems should consult an experienced attorney immediately to explore their legal rights and options.
To learn more, please download our free Actos and the increased risk Of Bladder Cancer here.
