Wife Files Januvia Lawsuit after Husband Dies of Pancreatic Cancer
By Jessica Tyner
When James Dunkin was prescribed Januvia (sitagliptin) to treat type-2 diabetes, he and his wife Donna had no idea that the drug could cause pancreatic cancer — one of the deadliest types of cancer. James died on June 29, 2010, leaving Donna a widow and without the companionship, love and financial support she had come to know and expect. After losing her husband to pancreatic cancer, Donna filed her Januvia lawsuit on Oct. 29, 2013.
“Diabetes remains the most frequent cause of blindness, amputations and dialysis worldwide,” the Januvia lawsuit says. “With the current estimate of more than 350 million patients worldwide it is considered to be one of the major health challenges of the 21st century. Januvia is intended to lower blood sugar levels in adults with Type 2 diabetes by increasing the amount of insulin produced in the pancreas and decreasing the amount of sugar produced in the liver.”
The California couple thought they were being proactive when James started taking Januvia, and now Donna claims that Merck (the makers of the drug) knew about the Januvia risks but continued to market and sell the drug.
“In an April 2009 study published in the online edition of the journal Diabetes, researchers from the Larry L. Hillblom Islte Research Center at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine found that sitagliptin sold in pill form, like Januvia, caused abnormalities in the pancreas that are recognized as risk factors for pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer in humans,” the Januvia lawsuit says.
According to this Januvia lawsuit, “Defendants concealed their knowledge that Januvia can cause life-threatening, pancreatic cancer from Decedent, other consumers, the general public, and the medical community. Specifically, the Defendants failed to adequately warn consumers and the prescribing medical community about the risks of pancreatic cancer associated with Januvia usage, and failed to warn or otherwise advise physicians to institute monitoring procedures looking for the first signs of changes within the pancreas.”
Donna says that Merck “failed to include any warning of adverse effects on the pancreas until October 2012 and, even then, warning were limited to acute pancreatitis. The current warnings for the Drug are simply inadequate. Defendants have failed and continue to fail in their duties to warn and protect the consuming public, including the Decedent herein.”
The Januvia lawsuit is Donna D. Dunkin, et al., v. Merck & Co. Inc., et al., Case No. 3:13-cv-02613-AJB-MDD, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
Did You Lose Someone to Pancreatic Cancer?
If you lost a loved one to pancreatic cancer allegedly caused by Januvia, or if you took Januvia and have been diagnosed with a pancreatic issue, you may have a Januvia legal claim. You can find out more about next possible steps at the Type 2 Diabetes Drugs Januvia, Byetta, Victoza Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. Submit your information and an attorney will contact you to further discuss your Januvia legal claim if you qualify.
All medical device, dangerous drug and medical class action and lawsuit news updates are listed in the Drug and Medical Device section of Top Class Actions.
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One thought on Wife Files Januvia Lawsuit after Husband Dies of Pancreatic Cancer
My husband got pancreatitis from Januvia after taking it for 1 month! He had to be hospitalized! He’s dead now.