Arizona Man Says Januvia, Byetta Gave Him Pancreatic Cancer

An Arizona man has filed a product liability lawsuit against Merck & Co. and Bristol Meyers Squibb alleging that the companies’ type-2 diabetes medications Januvia and Byetta caused him to develop pancreatic cancer.

Rogers Hammond says in the product liability lawsuit, filed August 9, 2013, that he began taking Januvia in December 2008 and stopped taking it in October 2010. He also began taking Byetta in August 2009. Roughly two years later, Hammond was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer — a condition he says was directly caused by his use of the diabetes medications.

Currently, neither medication includes warnings regarding pancreatic cancer or acute pancreatitis in the drug safety information packets. However, a study released in February 2010 indicated that Januvia usage was tied to a sixfold higher risk for pancreas inflammation. While the drugs’ manufacturers say that the conditions are the result of other factors, studies on animals indicate that Januvia pancreatic side effects are directly linked to usage of the medication.

“Januvia and Janumet still lack any benefit sufficient to tolerate the extreme risk posed by the ingestion of these drugs,” the Januvia lawsuit says. “They are quite simply too dangerous and defective as formulated.” While not directly noted in the complaint, clinical data on Januvia side effects and pancreatic cancer indicates that the disease has a less than 10 percent survival rate within five years of diagnosis.

Rogers and his wife Jae allege that they have suffered a loss of consortium due to the impact of Januvia and Byetta pancreatic cancer on their marriage. Other counts in the Januvia/Byetta lawsuit include failure to warn, design defect, negligence, breach of implied and express warranties, negligent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment and violation of state statutes.

The Januvia/Byetta pancreatic cancer lawsuit is Rogers Hammond and Jae Hammond v. Merck & Co., Inc. et al., case number 13-cv-1859, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

If you have developed acute pancreatitis or were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer or thyroid cancer, you may be eligible to file a Januvia lawsuit against the maker of these drugs. Learn more about your options at the Type 2 Diabetes Drugs Januvia, Byetta, Victoza Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. While you’re there, you can fill out the short form to obtain a free case eligibility review. Since these conditions can progress quickly, it’s important to begin the legal process to get the legal remedy the facts of your case merit.