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Takeda Hit with Another Actos Bladder Cancer Lawsuit
By Sarah Pierce
A new Actos lawsuit has been filed against drug makers Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly Co. for failing to warn the Plaintiff he was putting himself at risk for developing bladder cancer by taking the diabetes medication. The Plaintiff developed bladder cancer in 2008 but continued to take Actos until 2012, when he learned the Actos bladder cancer link.Plaintiff Richard W. West alleges in the Actos bladder cancer lawsuit, filed July 20, 2012 in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, that he began taking the drug in 1999 to manage his Type II diabetes. West was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2008, and alleges it was caused by his Actos usage. Bladder cancer is one of several Actos side effects that have prompted patients like West to sue Takeda and Eli Lilly for failure to warn about these risks.
West began taking Actos soon after it was approved by the FDA in 1999 to help Type II diabetes patients effectively process sugar. Not long after the FDA approval, however, patients began reporting several Actos side effects, ranging from mild (headaches and sore throats) to severe (congestive heart failure, bladder cancer and bladder tumors). West took Actos for nearly 10 years before developing bladder cancer — much longer than many Actos users who develop bladder cancer. In June 2011, the FDA warned consumers that people who take Actos for more than 12 months are 40 percent more likely to develop bladder cancer than those not taking the drug. Taking Actos for more than two years may increase this risk by as much as 83 percent, according to a May 2012 study published in the British Medical Journal.
According to researchers of the BMI study, a possible explanation for the Actos bladder cancer link is chronic irritation of the bladder from crystal formations caused by the drug, leading to the formation of bladder tumors and eventually bladder cancer. More research is required to establish this as the true cause, but one thing’s for certain — bladder cancer victims and the Actos attorneys representing them want Takeda and Eli Lilly to recall the drug and adequately warn users about its risks. To date, no U.S. Actos recall has been made, although it has been removed from the market in France and Germany. Despite mounting evidence that Actos causes bladder cancer, Takeda and Eli Lilly continue to market the medication as safe for use.
Hundreds of Actos bladder cancer lawsuits have been filed in the U.S., and an Actos bladder cancer class action lawsuit was filed this month in Canada. Actos attorneys predict as many as 10,000 Actos lawsuits may be filed in the U.S. as patients begin to learn the connection between their diagnosis of bladder cancer and their Actos usage. A multi-district litigation (MDL) has been created in the U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana (In re: Actos Pioglitazone Products Liability Litigation) to handle the growing litigation. No official U.S. Actos class action lawsuit has been filed yet, but thousands of victims are still seeking compensation from Takeda and Eli Lilly through the Actos lawsuit MDL. The MDL allows victims to sue the drug makers individually, allowing them win their own settlement instead of sharing it among hundreds or thousands of Class Members in a class action lawsuit settlement.
Actos users who suffered side effects such as bladder cancer, bladder tumors, heart problems or more are encouraged to speak to an Actos injury attorney right away about their legal options. Family members of Actos users who died of these side effects can also seek compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit.
Visit the Actos Bladder Cancer Class Action Lawsuit Investigation for more information, and submit your information for a free, no-obligation consultation. Actos injury lawyers working this investigation can let you know if you have a case to file an Actos injury lawsuit, Actos bladder cancer lawsuit, or class action lawsuit. These attorneys don’t get paid unless you do.
Updated August 10th, 2012
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