Two New Plaintiffs Assert Actos Bladder Cancer Claims
Two lawsuits in state court claim that Actos led to the development of bladder cancer, and in one case, the victim’s death.
The family of Moshe Bitton filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Actos manufacturer Takeda Pharmaceuticals and their American subsidiaries, claiming that taking the drug to treat Type 2 diabetes caused Bitton to develop bladder cancer and die. Bitton died in October 2013; his family filed the lawsuit in Las Vegas on Tuesday, January 13th, 2015.
Bitton was prescribed Actos around 2007, and in August 2011, he was diagnosed with recurrent bladder cancer. Just two months prior, the FDA issued a warning to patients taking Actos that using the drug for more than a year could lead to Actos bladder cancer; Bitton had been prescribed Actos for about four years.
In a second personal injury case that went to trial around the same time, plaintiff John Kristufek claims that he took Actos for three years and caused Actos bladder cancer. He was diagnosed with tumors in his bladder in 2008, and continued taking Actos as prescribed while he also underwent numerous surgeries to remove the tumors. In 2011, doctors finally had to remove his bladder to prevent the spread of his bladder cancer.
Although Kristufek smoked for 25 years, he quit in 1990, and a University of Colorado oncologist, Shandra Wilson, testified in his trial in mid-January that Actos is the only drug that could have caused Kristufek’s bladder cancer.
“To me it appears that the higher the dose, the more likely it is that Actos causes bladder cancer,” Wilson said. “I do believe it was a substantial factor.” She added that Kristufek’s smoking history did increase his chances of developing cancers, including bladder cancer, about 10 to 20%, but that Actos was 4 times more likely to cause the development of those specific tumors.
On Monday, February 2nd, an expert witness for Takeda testified against Wilson’s conclusion, stating that smoking is the main cause of cancer in humans, and that Actos alone cannot cause bladder cancer.
The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Cases, Including Actos Bladder Cancer Lawsuits
Evidence strongly links Actos to increased risk of bladder cancer, but the drug also has other dangerous side effects. If you or a loved one take Actos or the generic, pioglitazone, to treat Type 2 diabetes, and have since developed bladder cancer, heart disease, liver failure, or diabetic macular edema, you may be entitled to compensation.
There are several side effects associated with Actos®. You should seek medical attention if you experience:
- shortness of breath or trouble breathing,
- chest pain,
- extreme fatigue,
- irregular heartbeat,
- dilated neck veins,
- swelling of face, fingers, feet, or lower legs,
- decreased urine output, and
- weight gain
If you or a loved one have taken Actos to treat Type 2 diabetes, and have since suffered dangerous side effects including developing bladder cancer you may be entitled to compensation. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help with personal injury cases, including against Actos manufacturer Takeda Pharmaceuticals. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so do not hesitate to contact us. 803.252.4800
