Second Actos Personal Injury Case Begins in Baltimore, Alleges Failure to Warn and Dangerous Drug
Currently, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of controversial Type 2 diabetes drug Actos, faces more than 3,000 personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits, linking the drug to the development of bladder cancer in those patients that ingested Actos for two years or more. About 1,200 of the lawsuits have been consolidated into a multidistrict litigation (MDL) in Louisiana, but the most recent Actos lawsuit to go to court is located in Baltimore.
The case was brought forward by the family of Diep An, a Vietnamese immigrant who worked as a translator for the US Army. He began taking Actos in 2007 to treat his Type 2 diabetes, ad was diagnosed with “high-grade bladder cancer” in September 2011. He died in January 2012.
“The bladder cancer that caused Diep An’s death can be linked directly to his use of Actos,” attorney Stuart Simms told jurors yesterday. The family and their attorney allege that Takeda Pharmaceuticals knew about the link between their drug and bladder cancer as early as 2005, but failed to warn the public until 2011, when reports from patients, and subsequent medical studies, showed the public that the drug could cause a variety of problems, particularly raising the risk of developing bladder cancer. Patients with Type 2 diabetes have a risk of developing bladder cancer related to their condition anyway, but Actos has been shown to seriously increase that risk.
Takeda Pharmaceuticals, however, contends that Mr. An had other risk factors and there is no conclusive evidence that Actos was the cause of his bladder cancer. Mr. An reportedly smoked half a pack of cigarettes for 30 years before finally quitting in 1996. His long-term smoking habit would have increased his risk of a variety of cancers, including bladder cancer, according to the defendants.
The FDA is currently investigating the risks of taking Actos, and says their review will wrap up next year. Based on evidence from new studies, the government agency issued a warning against Actos and said Takeda had to package their drug with the strongest possible warning label. Meanwhile, both France and Germany banned the drug from sale in their countries, and most recently, India temporarily banned Actos and the generic form pioglitazone, but after confrontations with doctors, rescinded the ban pending further study.
Actos Linked to Serious Personal Injury
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
The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Cases, Including Against Actos
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, heart disease, liver failure, or diabetic macular edema, 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
