Lawsuit Alleges Victoza Caused Pancreatic Cancer

Marie Swenson of Massachusetts has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers of the diabetes drug Victoza, alleging that the drug caused her to develop pancreatic cancer.

According to the Victoza lawsuit, Swenson was initially prescribed Victoza in March 2009 to help control her type-2 diabetes. The drug belongs to a class of diabetes medications called GLP-1 agonists or DDP-4 inhibitors. It is designed to control blood sugar levels, with the intention of staving off the worst complications of type-2 diabetes, which can include blindness and tissue damage requiring amputation. Swenson stopped taking the drug in September 2011, when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

The Victoza lawsuit cites a peer reviewed study called “GLP-1—Based Therapy for Diabetes: What You Do Not Know Can Hurt You,” published in the journal Diabetes Care. This study mentioned that new – and still under patent – drugs of this class are being heavily promoted by pharmaceutical companies. According to the study, preliminary evidence indicates that Victoza and related drugs could cause serious side effects, including the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Swenson’s Victoza lawsuit alleges that the manufacturers were aware – or reasonably should have been aware – of the serious risks associated with their drug. The lawsuit cites the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Amendments Act, which legally mandates postmarket surveillance. The Amendments Act requires drug companies to monitor both adverse events reports and peer-reviewed studies like the one published in Diabetes Care.

The lawsuit further alleges that not only did the manufacturers know about the risks, but that they actively concealed the risks, preventing patients like Swenson and health care workers from having all of the information they needed to make informed medical decision. The Victoza lawsuit asserts that Swenson would have never used the drug had she been adequately informed of the risks.

The Victoza pancreatic cancer lawsuit is formally titled Marie Swenson v. Novo Nordisk Inc., et al., Case No. 3:13-cv-02404-AJB-MDD, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

Victoza Cancer Lawsuits Grow

If you or someone you care about took Victoza or related drugs and went on to develop serious complications like pancreatic cancer, you’ve almost certainly found yourself in a challenging situation. Since the pancreas lacks pain receptors, the disease usually does not show symptoms until the cancer spreads beyond the pancreas. At this point, the disease has advanced to the point that it difficult to treat. In fact, 90 percent of patients who receive the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer die within a year of their diagnosis.

This type of situation can leave survivors dealing with the emotional toll of the sudden loss of a loved one, as well as financial challenges that go hand-in-hand this kind of situation. It is important to remember that regardless of the challenges you have found yourself facing, you still have rights, and there are steps that you can take to regain a measure of control over your situation. You can start by visiting the Type 2 Diabetes Drugs Januvia, Byetta Class Action Lawsuit Investigation and obtaining a free legal review of your case to see if you qualify to pursue compensation at no cost to you.