Heir Sues Makers of Byetta over Pancreatic Cancer Death

Odom began taking Byetta in May 2009 and continued to take the drug through 2010. In September of 2011, Odom died of pancreatic cancer. The Byetta lawsuit alleges that Byetta caused Odom’s cancer and subsequent death. 

The Byetta lawsuit cites peer-reviewed studies, including a February 2011 article in the journal Gastroenterology, that have found a link between drugs like Byetta and an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. The Byetta pancreatic cancer lawsuit also cites information gleaned from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS), which also suggested a link between drugs in this family and various types of cancer, including both pancreatic and thyroid cancers. 

Odom’s Byetta lawsuit states that the drug’s manufacturers were aware – or reasonably should have been aware, based on peer-reviewed research, postmarket surveillance like the AERS system, and their own clinical trials – of the link between their drugs and various types of cancer. The Byetta pancreatic cancer lawsuit further alleges that not only did the manufactures know about these risks, but failed to act on this information in a timely fashion or even actively concealed it, preventing patients like Odom and health care professionals from having the information they needed to make informed medical decisions. The Byetta lawsuit asserts that Odom would have never taken the drug had the risks been discussed.

The Byetta lawsuit seeks several types of damages, including the costs of Odom’s medical care, as well as lost wages and earning capacity. Additionally, the Byetta lawsuit seeks punitive and exemplary damages, damages designed to punish the offender and discourage further misconduct. 

The Byetta pancreatic cancer lawsuit is formally titled Betty Ann Odom, Individually and as Successor-in-Interest and Surviving Heir of Robbin Odom, Deceased v. Amylin Pharmaceuticals LLC, Case No. 3:13-cv-02034-BEN-WVG, U.S. District Court of the Southern District of California. 

If you or someone you care about took Byetta, Victoza or Januvia and went on to develop serious complications like various types of cancer, you may feel overwhelmed. Pancreatic cancer can strike quickly, leaving its victims struggling to cope with the disease. Since pancreatic cancer is usually diagnosed at a late stage, many victims only have months of life after their diagnosis. Struggling with cancer, or coping with the loss of a loved one can be tremendously taxing. But you need to remember that regardless of the challenges you are facing, you still have rights, and there are steps that you can take to regain control over your situation. You can start by visiting the Type 2 Diabetes Drugs Januvia, Byetta, Victoza Class Action Lawsuit Investigation and obtaining a free legal review of your case.