Actos Bladder Cancer Victims Say Takeda Hid Risks from the Public

Plaintiffs David W. Rieger and Mitch Taguchi cite numerous studies in the Actos lawsuit, filed September 24, that allegedly prove Takeda knew the drug could cause cancer but chose to hide this risk from the public. As a result, Takeda was able to achieve its marketing goal by making Actos the 10th best-selling medication in the U.S. “all while placing American Citizens at risk of developing bladder cancer,” the lawsuit states.

Rieger and Taguchi were both diagnosed with bladder cancer after taking Actos for several years. Their wives, Sheila Rieger and Reiko Taguchi, are joining them as plaintiffs in the Actos lawsuit and are seeking loss of consortium damages.

Takeda Denies Actos Bladder Cancer Link, Despite Evidence

The Actos lawsuit details numerous studies that show Actos users are “significantly” more likely to develop bladder cancer compared to non-Actos users. This information was never included on the Actos label, however, and was never issued to the medical community, the Actos lawsuit says.

“After the FDA approved Actos for marketing in the U.S., Takeda received an average of more than 180 cancer reports each year (1,813 over 10 years) from spontaneous sources, but Takeda never included these cancer reports in the label, and never issued a Dear Doctor Letter in the last 10 years to warn the medical community of the risk of developing cancer while taking Actos,” the plaintiffs say in the Actos lawsuit.

To this day, the Actos label still states: “There are too few events of bladder cancer to establish causality.”

Actos Recalled in France, Germany

In June 2011, the FDA issued its second Safety Announcement concerning Actos, saying that “use of the diabetes medication Actos (pioglitazone) for more than one year may be associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer.” This risk increases when the dose of and duration of pioglitazone exposure increases.

According to the FDA, patients taking Actos longer than 12 months are 40% more likely to contract bladder cancer.

The FDA warning came almost a week after France suspended sales of Actos pending an investigation into its link to bladder cancer. The announcement by the French government prompted Germany to ban Actos as well. Takeda issued a voluntary recall on Actos in France a month later on July 12, 2011.

Despite these actions, Takeda and the FDA have not issued an Actos recall in the United States, “thereby continuing to subject American citizens to the significant risk of developing bladder cancer while ensure the users in France and Germany were no longer subject to this risk,” the Actos lawsuit states.

Rieger and Taguchi say they would not have used Actos if Takeda had properly disclosed the risks associated with its use. As a direct result, they have been permanently and severely injured, having suffered serious consequences from their long-term Actos use, the lawsuit says.

Both of them are seeking damages for past and future medical expenses, mental and emotional distress, restitution, loss of consortium, and more. They are alleging claims of negligence, failure to warn, defective design, manufacturing defect, breach of express and implied warranties, and negligent misrepresentation.

The Actos bladder cancer lawsuit is David and Sheila Rieger; and Mitch and Reiko Taguchi v. Takeda Pharmaceuticals America Inc., et al., Case No. 13-cv-2736, U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana.

Obtain a Free Actos Bladder Cancer Lawsuit Review

Over 1,500 Actos bladder cancer lawsuits have been consolidated into multidistrict litigation (MDL) to quickly and effectively resolve claims against Takeda. The first bellwether trial in the Actos MDL is scheduled to begin January 27, 2014.

If you or a loved one was diagnosed with bladder cancer and Actos was part of your diabetes treatment regimen, you may be eligible to join the Actos bladder cancer MDL and pursue compensation for your injuries. Learn more about your rights and obtain a free review of your case at the Actos Bladder Cancer Class Action Lawsuit Investigation.

The Actos bladder cancer MDL is In Re: Actos Product Liability Litigation, MDL No. 22990, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.