A Louisiana woman is the latest plaintiff to allege that drugmaker Eli Lilly is responsible for the development of Fournier’s gangrene in connection with diabetes medications Jardiance and Invokana.

Elizabeth A. is not the first diabetic person to take the medications to manage the chronic disease and later diagnosed with the genital infection. Many of the other cases, however, have been reported by men.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned the public about the potentially life-threatening nature of the medical condition, which is rare but can develop quickly if the symptoms are not treated and managed immediately.

The product liability lawsuit argues that the diabetes drugs taken by the plaintiff caused a dangerous and unreasonable risk of the genital gangrene condition. Some patients who suffered severe side effects associated with Fournier’s gangrene have had to undergo painful and expensive surgeries to repair tissue and functioning in the area.

The plaintiff alleges that the defendants are responsible for wrongful and negligent conduct associated with the manufacture, design, development, packaging, testing, marketing, distribution, labeling, promotion, and sale of medicines such as Invokana and Jardiance.

These medications are used to treat type-2 diabetes. According to the plaintiff, however, the manufacturer of these drugs concealed from consumers and the medical community, information about unreasonably dangerous risks associated with the medication. In October 2018, the drug’s label was updated to reflect this serious side effect.

The condition, known as genital gangrene, Fournier’s gangrene, or necrotizing fasciitis can have serious, even deadly, side effects for patients. In August 2018, the FDA acknowledged the risks and several months later manufacturers updated the label to reflect the potential for necrotizing fasciitis. Previously the label explained only that the most well-known complication was linked to lower limb amputations.

The plaintiff argues that the label did not include any information about the risks a female patient might suffer in terms of developing Fournier’s gangrene. The lawsuit alleges that as a direct result of being prescribed  Invokana and Jardiance, Elizabeth A. sustained permanent and severe personal injuries, emotional distress, suffering pain, and surgical irritation of her perirectal region. Additionally, the plaintiff says she had to have a  colostomy bag surgically implanted. She argues that she should have been told in advance about the possibility of developing Fournier’s gangrene so that she could make an informed decision about whether the potential benefits of using Invokana and Jardiance outweighed the risk profile for the development of Fournier’s gangrene.

The signs of this serious infection can include redness or swelling in the genitals, tenderness, and a high fever, according to WebMD. Patients taking SGLT2 medications, like Jardiance, should immediately report these symptoms to a doctor.

If you or someone you know has already suffered from this condition or other dangerous side effects, you could be eligible to pursue a lawsuit against the manufacturer. Scheduling a consultation with an attorney is likely your next step to pursue your options. Top Class Actions can help connect you with an experienced lawyer.

The Fournier’s Langrene Lawsuit is Case No. 3:19-cv-00714-BAJ-RLB in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana.

Join a Free Diabetes Medications & Flesh-Eating Infection Lawsuit Investigation

The type-2 diabetes medications linked to the flesh-eating infection include:

• Invokana
• Invokamet/Invokamet XR
• Farxiga
• Xigduo XR
• Qtern
• Jardiance
• Glyxambi
• Synjardy/Synjardy XR
• Steglato
• Segluromet
• Steglujan

If you or a loved one took one of the type-2 diabetes medications listed above and suffered from a flesh-eating genital infection, you may qualify to join this diabetes medication lawsuit investigation. Fill out the FREE form on this page for more information.

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