A man from Louisiana has recently filed an Invokana lawsuit, alleging his loved one had suffered serious drug complications that forced her to undergo an above the knee amputation.

The Invokana lawsuit is joining a growing multidistrict litigation (MDL) consisting of claims alleging similar injuries, including instances of above the knee amputation. Plaintiff Erwin O. filed this Invokana lawsuit on behalf of Josefa S., who allegedly died from serious complications related to type-2 diabetes.

His Invokana lawsuit alleges the SGLT2 inhibitor was supposed to mitigate the more serious side effects of type-2 diabetes and help Josefa live a normal life, but instead allegedly caused her to suffer long term diabetic complications up until her death.

In addition, Erwin alleges his loved one suffered numerous issues related to her type-2 diabetes treatment, including above the knee amputation.

Overview of Invokana Lawsuit

According to the Invokana lawsuit, Josefa had started taking the medication in 2015 to treat her type-2 diabetes, using it according to her physician’s advice and prescription instructions.

Invokana and other SGLT2 inhibitors work by signaling the kidneys to expel excess blood sugar through urination, which helps offset major diabetic symptoms and raises the likelihood of proper insulin balance. Combined with diet and exercise, Josefa and other type-2 diabetes patients are supposed to be able to live normally, with a daily routine that faces minimal interruptions from their diabetic symptoms.

However, SGLT2 drugs have been tied to many extreme side effects. In the case of Josefa, she reportedly suffered serious diabetic complications just 16 months after starting Invokana and eventually had to undergo above the knee amputation on her right leg in March 2017.

According to the Invokana lawsuit, Josefa endured severe pain and suffering as well as emotional distress from the amputation in addition to the other diabetic symptoms she suffered until her death.

Erwin alleges Invokana had caused Josefa to suffer a number of preventable diabetic complications, which he says should have been offset by the SGLT2 inhibitor.

FDA Warning

Erwin opted to file this Invokana lawsuit soon after Josefa’s death, in which he learned the FDA issued a public warning regarding an alleged correlation between SGLT2 inhibitors and increased risk of diabetic amputations.

The FDA issued this warning on May 16, 2017, after reviewing studies that indicated patients taking Invokana and other canagliflozin-based medications faced an increased likelihood of lower limb amputations compared to the placebo group.

“Based on new data from two large clinical trials, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has concluded that the type 2 diabetes medicine canagliflozin (Invokana, Invokamet, Invokamet XR) causes an increased risk of leg and foot amputations. We are requiring new warnings, including our most prominent Boxed Warning, to be added to the canagliflozin drug labels to describe this risk,” the FDA stated.

Upper or lower leg amputation sometimes becomes necessary for type-2 diabetes patients because the nerves in the legs die, which causes severe swelling and ulcer formation. Even though these complications can be devastating for type-2 diabetes patients, Johnson & Johnson allegedly failed to disclose information to consumers taking their medication.

Erwin’s Invokana Lawsuit is joining MDL No. 2750, where it will stand alongside other claims also alleging serious injuries like above the knee amputation. His lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-16721-BRM-LHG, filed in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey.