Onglyza, a widely prescribed diabetes medication, has recently been linked to an increased risk of dangerous side effects, including thyroid cancer and pancreatic cancer.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has responded to these reports, and has warned the manufacturers of Onglyza to update their warnings labels to reflect this information.

Background of Onglyza

Onglyza (also known as saxagliptin, in its generic form) was created as a diabetes treatment by manufacturers AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Onglyza was first approved by the FDA in 2009 and was designed to treat type-2 diabetes specifically.

Onglyza is an incretin mimetic, a type of diabetes drug that mimics the body’s natural incretin hormones. This stimulates the release of insulin after a meal, which in turn helps to control a patient’s blood sugar level – essential for diabetes patients.

While many diabetes treatments encourage weight gain, this is not an Onglyza side effect, which makes it a highly attractive alternative for type-2 diabetes patients.

Onglyza has been highly popular since its entry into the drug market in 2009. In the year 2012 alone, sales of Onglyza brought in a hefty $709 million. Sales are projected to hit $2 billion annually in just the next few years.

Onglyza Thyroid Cancer

Onglyza and similar drugs are very new to the diabetes medication world, so there is currently very little information about these drugs’ long-term side effects.

Onglyza thyroid cancer, for instance, is a slow-growing cancer that can take many years to develop, and may only be discovered in the later (and more dangerous) stages.

The FDA has already received dozens of reports regarding Onglyza thyroid cancer from patients taking Ongluza and other similar drugs.

Reports such as these do not definitively prove a link between Onglyza and thyroid cancer, but they are cause for concern.

Thyroid Cancer Symptoms

It is important to recognize thyroid cancer symptoms, especially for users of Onglyza, or a similar incretin mimetic drug, in which thyroid cancer may be a potential side effect.

Thyroid cancer symptoms include:

• Changes in voice
• Neck swelling
• Respiratory problems
• Difficulty swallowing
• Lymph nodes that are enlarged or painful
• Lumps or nodules on the lower front or center of the neck
• Coughing or hoarseness that is unexplained

While these may not seem like serious symptoms, Onglyza patients especially should be aware that these may indicate thyroid cancer and be especially cautious.

Onglyza Lawsuits

Patients who have taken Onglyza, or a similar incretin-based drug, have started filing Onglyza lawsuits against the drug’s manufacturers for failing to adequately warn the public and the medical community about the risks associated with this diabetes drug.

Onglyza lawsuits allege that the drug’s manufacturers either knew or should have known about the increased risk of thyroid cancer and other Onglyza side effects.

The FDA has already warned AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb that its warning label needs to be updated with Onglyza side effects, citing an increased risk of heart failure associated with the drug.

Although many agencies, including the FDA and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) believe that there is not enough evidence to prove a definitive link between Onglyza and thyroid cancer, such a firm link has never been necessary for adding label warnings.

FDA policy is that drugs do not and should not require such definitive links before adding warnings to their labels of potential risks.

Companies add warning labels when there is enough evidence to suggest a connection and cause concern.