A Florida woman recently filed a lawsuit against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, alleging that the company knew of the serious Invokana ketoacidosis side effect linked with its drug.

However, the lawsuit claims, Janssen continued to market the drug as safe and effective, and actively misled consumers and the medical community by concealing and minimizing information about the Invokana ketoacidosis side effect.

This new lawsuit, the most recent in a growing number, was filed last week.

Plaintiff Laura W. alleges that after using Invokana for a few months, she developed and was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis.

This Invokana ketoacidosis side effect is a serious medical problem, and involves elevated acid levels in a person’s blood. This can often lead to hospitalization and emergency medical treatment.

Invokana Basics

Invokana (cangliflozin) was first approved and introduced in 2013. Invokana is one of several diabetes drugs known as sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, a new class of drugs.

After its release onto the diabetes drug market, Invokana quickly rose in popularity, after allegedly aggressive marketing tactics by Janssen Pharmaceuticals.

However, since its release, the FDA has received a growing number of adverse event reports regarding the drug, and has required Janssen to add a series of warnings to the Invokana warning label.

Laura’s lawsuit alleges that Janssen either knew or should have known about the Invokana ketoacidosis side effect possibility, and yet continued to market the drug as if it did not know of this risk, actively withholding important information from consumers and doctors alike.

“An analysis of the FDA adverse event database shows that patients taking Invokana are several times more likely to report diabetic ketoacidosis than those taking non-SGLT2 diabetes drugs to treat diabetes,” the complaint states.

The FDA issued a statement requiring Janssen to add an Invokana ketoacidosis side effect warning to the label of the popular drug in December 2015. The warning urged users to be aware of symptoms like abdominal pain, fatigue, nausea, respiratory problems, and vomiting.

While in some cases, ketoacidosis problems can be counteracted by simply stopping intake of diabetes drugs, the FDA warns that changing or stopping diabetes drugs without a doctor’s approval can be dangerous.

According to this lawsuit, Janssen chose to place company profit over consumer safety, which obstructed knowledge of the drug’s risks as well as prevented consumers from being aware of and recognizing Invokana ketoacidosis side effect symptoms.

Did You Suffer From an Invokana Side Effect?

Injured plaintiffs allege that the risks of SGLT2 inhibitors like Invokana outweigh the benefits, and that had they been adequately warned about the risks, they would have been able to choose a safer alternative.

If you or someone you love has suffered from side effects of diabetes drugs like ketoacidosis, you may be able to file a lawsuit.

Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering of an Invokana ketoacidosis side effect, but it can help to compensate for financial expenses incurred by medical bills and lost wages.

The Invokana Side Effect Lawsuit is Case No. 3:16-cv-04024-MAS-LHG in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Trenton Division.