A federal judge in Louisiana has scheduled the first hearing for diabetes drug lawsuits which aim to address the adverse side effects of Actos in patients.
In an order issued Monday, U.S. District Judge Rebecca Doherty said she plans to appoint lead attorneys for the consolidated cases. In December, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation assigned Doherty to preside over dozens of actos lawsuits against Actos maker Takeda Pharmaceuticals America Inc. Personal injury attorneys are expected to file several thousand claims against Takeda and its related companies on behalf of people who used the drug and developed serious side effects.
Originally prescribed to patients for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes, Actos was recently pulled from the market when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that is linked to an increase of bladder cancer. Specifically, the drug is said to have heightened risk after being taken for more than 12 months. Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, Inc., the maker of Actos, stands by the drug’s therapeutic benefits and importance in the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes.
Actos Not Worth The Risk
An FDA spokeswoman says that info about the risks of bladder cancer associated with the drug has been on the label since 1999 when it was approved for treatment of Type 2 Diabetes. However, Takeda’s parent company Takeda Pharmaceuticals Co. stopped the production of Actos in Germany and France.
The FDA says that U.S. sales of Actos in 2011 accounted for $3.4 billion in sales before being taken off the market in June 2011. This represents nearly 84% of sales among drugs in the same class, which is a staggering number considering the high risks of the drug.
Thousands of other claims involving the side effects of Actos are expected to be heard in California and Illinois state courts.
Compensation For Unreasonably Dangerous Drug Risk
Patients harmed by the dangerous side effects of Actos are subject to compensation. Personal injury lawyers specialize in product liability and compensating those who are affected by poor quality drugs. Pharmaceutical litigation serves to protect patients from defective drugs that cause serious injury or death.
