Actos is a medication created to treat Type 2 diabetes, which belongs to a class of drugs called Thiazolidinedione. The medicine lowers blood glucose levels and increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin.
Type 2 diabetes currently affects approximately 18 to 20 million Americans. The disease raises blood glucose levels because the body is unable to properly use insulin. This disease, left untreated, can lead to blindness, kidney problems, and cardiovascular disease.
However, now health officials are saying one drug used to treat that problem can cause severe side effects.
The FDA has asked the makers of Actos to issue a black box warning about the serious risk of adverse cardiovascular events, including heart attack, heart failure, and cardiovascular-related deaths, as well as an increased risk of developing bladder cancer. A black box warning is the highest and strongest FDA-requested label change that can be added to a medication.
The FDA is currently studying Actos clinical trials to determine whether further regulatory action, such as a recall, will be necessary.
Mounting Concerns over Actos Safety
Several lawmakers and health experts have condemned the FDA for failing to warn people about known cardiovascular risks associated with Actos, as well as other drugs like Avandia.
Representative Henry Waxman accused the FDAof “dropping the ball” when overseeing the safety of both drugs. He has also declared that the FDA’s failures with Avandia and Actos represent a “failure of the current system” to adequately determine and communicate the serious risks associated with widely used prescription medications.
The Strom Law Firm is now accepting product liability cases concerning the diabetes drug Actos and its link to bladder cancer. Call us right now to schedule a free consultation. 803.252.4800
