‘Carcinogenic’ Skin Gel Picato Gave Man Cancer, Class Action Lawsuit Claims

A man who bought a gel prescribed by his doctor to treat a precancerous skin condition instead contracted skin cancer from using the gel, a new nationwide class action lawsuit alleges.

California resident Brian Kamlade filed the lawsuit against LEO Pharma Monday in the Eastern District of California, alleging he got skin cancer after using its product Picato. 

Picato is a gel created to treat the skin condition actinic keratosis, a scaly lesion on the skin caused by too much sun exposure. 

Kamlade said his doctor diagnosed him with actinic keratosis and prescribed Picato to treat it in July 2018. He filled his prescription for a $20 copay and used the Picato as directed.

However, after using the Picato gel as directed, he developed cancer in the area where the Picato was applied, he said. 

“[Kamlade] would not have purchased Picato if he had known that it was not, in fact, properly designed, effective, free from defects and safe,” the lawsuit states.

Since Kamlade used the gel and contracted cancer, the lawsuit contends, the product has been investigated by international authorities and found to be unsafe. 

Picato Skin Cancer Reports Lead to Safety Review

In September 2019, following reports of Picato-related skin cancer incidents, the European Commission requested a safety review of the drug. 

Four months later, the European Medicines Agency suspended sale of Picato while its Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) conducted the review, with a study of 484 patients over three years showing 3.3 percent of patients developed cancer in the Picato group versus 0.4 percent in the comparison group. 

In April 2020, PRAC issued a report confirming that Picato “may increase the risk of skin cancer” and concluded “that the risks of the medicine outweigh its benefits,” according to the lawsuit.  

The report concluded that studies have found a higher incidence of skin tumours in the treatment area in patients treated with Picato, and that healthcare professionals should advise patients who have been treated with Picato to be vigilant for any skin lesions developing.

Meanwhile in Canada, the government issued a July 2020 report after reviewing its own data, concluding “that there may be a link between Picato and the risk of skin cancer.” 

Picato Recalled in Canada and the United States

By October 2020, the product was being recalled from the Canadian market and LEO Pharma announced that it would permanently discontinue the manufacture of Picato. LEO Pharma also announced a similar “phase-out” in the United States that was expected to be completed by the end of 2020.

Kamlade is seeking to represent a nationwide Class of residents in the United States who purchased Picato, plus a California Subclass. He is suing both LEO Pharma A/S, which is based in Denmark, and its subsidiary LEO Pharma Inc., which does business in the United States.

He is suing under breach of warranty, because the goods sold were “defective in that they are carcinogenic” and not generally recognized as safe for human consumption. The class action lawsuit is asking a judge for certification of the Class, a jury trial, compensatory damages and interest. 

Cosmetics and health-related products are sometimes found to be linked to an increased risk of cancer, with the companies behind these products facing recalls and sometimes class actions. 

In February 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a recall of prescription weight loss drug Belviq after finding its side effects may include an increased risk of cancer. 

One of the best-known cases is around the safety of talc in products such as Johnson’s Baby Powder, which has faced scrutiny since 1971 when British researchers found ovarian tumors with talc particles embedded in the tumors. There have since been numerous baby powder cancer lawsuits.

When prescribed a treatment by your doctor, are you worried it may be carcinogenic? Let us know what you think of this case in the comments! 

The plaintiffs are represented by L. Timothy Fisher, Joshua D. Arisohn and Andrew J. Obergfell of Bursor & Fisher, P.A. 

The Picato Cancer Class Action Lawsuit is Brian Kamlade et al, v. LEO Pharma Inc and LEP  Pharma A/S, Case 1:21-cv-00522-DAD-EPG, in the United States District Court Eastern District of California.

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

• Can Viagra Cause Melanoma Cancer?
• Belviq Side Effects: Were You Diagnosed with Cancer?
• Is Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder Safe?
• Do You Qualify: 9/11 Victims Cancer Compensation Fund