Researchers and doctors are becoming more concerned about the side effects of Actemra, a popular arthritis medication. Actemra users have sent hundreds of thousands of reports over side effects of the medication, including hundreds of reports of deaths from Actemra.

These reports of deaths from Actemra—especially given the number of them in just the last few years—are a serious cause for concern, and patients taking Actemra should be aware of these risks.

Actemra Basics

Actemra (which is also known by its generic name, tocilzumab) is a popular medication manufactured by the pharmaceutical company, Roche. Actemra is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder that causes joint pain and swelling, as can even damage other parts of the body such as the skin, eyes, lungs and heart.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Actemra for use in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in 2010, just seven years ago. Actemra is administered via two methods: injection and infusion.

While most rheumatoid arthritis drugs warn of serious side effects like heart attacks, heart failure and lung problems, Actemra was initially marketed as lacking such serious side effects, and has gained immediate popularity, having been prescribed to over 760,000 patients already for arthritis.

However, in the years since it entered the market, Actemra has been linked with not only serious side effects, but even deaths from Actemra.

Reports of Deaths from Actemra

The FDA has reportedly received more than 1,100 reports regarding deaths from Actemra after patients take the drug, a recent STAT report notes.

The STAT investigation looked at 500,000 reports of Actemra side effects, and found that the risks of heart attacks, heart failure, and lung problems—the very side effects Actemra supposedly doesn’t have—are actually greater for patients taking Actemra than any other rheumatoid arthritis drug.

The reports of Actemra side effects can be quite severe and worrisome. One of these FDA reports was filed two days after a man died from a brain bleed after Actemra treatment. According to a doctor, the only possible cause of this man’s death was Actemra, the report claimed.

Many of the FDA reports include side effects that are common in other rheumatoid arthritis drugs, and so aren’t necessarily unexpected. However, patients may be completely unaware of these risks if they are left off the warning label and if the drug is marketed as not having the serious risks associated with similar drugs.

While Actemra was released in the U.S. in 2010, it had previously been released elsewhere. In 2009, 15 people in Japan had already reported deaths from Actemra. These reports stemmed from a study of 5,000 patients who took Actemra. In response, a spokesperson for Chugai Pharmaceutical (partnered with Roche) said it could not deny a possible “causal relationship” between Actemra and these deaths.

Filing a Lawsuit Over Deaths from Actemra

If you have suffered from serious side effects such as a heart attack or lung problems after taking Actemra, you may have a legal claim.

If someone you love has died after using Actemra, you may be able to seek compensation. While filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by Actemra side effects or deaths from Actemra, it may be able to help alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.

In general, Actemra lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you. Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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