Texas Resident Alleges Januvia Caused Pancreatic Cancer
By Robert J. Boumis
Morris Price of Texas has sued Merck Dohme Corp. over his pancreatic cancer, allegedly caused by the diabetes drug Januvia.
Januvia is designed to help control type-2 diabetes, a condition wherein the patient cannot control their blood sugar effectively. However, evidence has emerged that the drug may have serious side effects, including pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.
Price was prescribed Januvia in October 2010 to help control his diabetes. He continued to take Januvia until at least November of 2012. However, in April 2013, Price was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The Januvia lawsuit contends that his cancer was caused by the drug.
The Januvia lawsuit cites peer-reviewed studies and post-market surveillance that supports the claim that there is a link between drugs of this class and various forms of cancer. The lawsuit asserts that based on such research and the fact that drug companies employ experts on drug safety and pharmacology, Merck and the codefendants should have been fully aware of the risks associated with their product.
The Januvia lawsuit further alleges that the defendants did not act on this information in a timely manner, and may have actively concealed the risks from the general public, the medical community, and regulatory agencies like the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). According to allegations in the Januvia pancreatic cancer lawsuit, the manufacturers’ concealment prevented patients like Price and their prescribing physicians from having the information they needed to make informed medical decisions. The complaint also asserts that had Price known about the risks associated with the drug, he would have never used Januvia.
The Januvia pancreatic cancer lawsuit is formally titled Morris Price v. Merck Dohme Corp and Does 1 -100, Case No. 3:13-cv-02300-AJB-MDD, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
If you or someone you care about took Januvia or related drugs and went on to suffer from pancreatitis or various types of cancer, you almost certainly have suffered through major challenges. Major illnesses like cancer or pancreatitis are medical emergencies that require large-scale changes to your life. Intensive medical care is not just a strain on the body, but every aspect of person’s life. Time in the hospital can cause medical bills to pile up. Additionally, persons coping with major illness often miss work, facing lost wages just when they need money the most. And unfortunately, both pancreatitis and cancer can kill a patient, leaving their survivors to cope with the loss of a loved one in terms of both emotional and financial burdens.
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