More Januvia Cancer Victims Expected to Come Forward

More Januvia Cancer Victims Expected to Come Forward

By Jessica Tyner

In early 2013 the consolidation of Januvia lawsuits was approved, and now is the ideal time for more Januvia victims to join the legions of other sufferers seeking rightful compensation. At the moment, there are just over 50 Januvia lawsuits being filed, and more are expected in coming months. Januvia is connected to pancreatic cancer and thyroid cancer, and is a commonly prescribed drug to treat Type 2 diabetes.

It was just March of 2013 that the FDA began seriously investigating the link between Januvia and pancreatic cancer, only to discover heartbreaking findings. Eligible plaintiffs include anyone who was given Januvia and was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer or pancreatitis, or anyone who lost a loved one due to the same situation. The litigation is very new, but experts expect thousands of Januvia victims to join in the coming months.   

UCLA Study Correlates to Januvia Risks

A recent UCLA study helps strengthen the findings that Januvia is in fact linked to pancreatitis. The study considered 20 diabetic subjects and, when given Januvia, they experienced a 40 percent spike in pancreatic cancer cell growth. Granted this was a small study, but the findings are incredible. Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases in the U.S., so the odds of someone being given Januvia are fairly high.

According to the Journal of American Medical Association, taking Januvia can double a person’s chances of developing pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer. The FDA caught wind of this early, but it was too soon to directly connect Januvia with the risks. When six people on Januvia died of pancreatitis, the FDA required a warning label to be added, although at the time they could only confirm the cause of death in four of the six cases.    

Byetta is Also a Concern

Merck manufactures Januvia and rakes in over $4 billion in sales yearly across the world. However, a similar drug, Byetta, is also linked to pancreatic cancer. The manufacturer of Byetta earned $227 million in sales during 2012, far behind Januvia but still an impressive sum. Both Januvia and Byetta victims may be eligible to join in a class action lawsuit or individual drug injury lawsuit.

As more people are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, more people will be prescribed drugs like Januvia which might threaten their life. If you have Type 2 diabetes, it’s important to fully understand the risks of your medications. Januvia victims claim that they were not adequately warned about the side effects, especially given that the FDA only recently increased warnings.  

Do You Have a Januvia or Byetta Prescription?

Always discuss stopping a medication with your doctor first. However, if you are taking Januvia or Byetta and have pancreatic or thyroid issues, it’s possible that a Januvia legal claim is in your future. As the class action lawsuits are heating up, right now is the perfect time to explore your options.

Learn more at the Type 2 Diabetes Drugs Januvia, Byetta Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. You can discover more about your legal rights and connect with a helpful drug injury attorney who can offer you a free Januvia claim review.