Pioglitazone is one of the most prescribed diabetes drugs in the United States.  Drugs that contain Pioglitazone include: Actos, Actoplus Met, Actoplus Met XR, and Duetact.  Combined, these drugs have been prescribed to over 2.3 million people.  Both France and Germany have withdrawn drugs containing Pioglitazone from the market due to its life-threatening side effects.  Specifically, Pioglitazone was pulled from those markets because of safety concerns associated with bladder cancer.  This action came as a result of a French study that observed 1.5 million diabetic patients treated with Pioglitazone.  Pioglitazone, used for over 12 months, was shown to increase a patient’s risk of bladder cancer by 40%.

Black Box Warning for Actos

The FDA has issued a Safety Alert and ordered that warnings be added to the labels of all medications containing Pioglitazone.  This mandatory warning acknowledges the increased risk of bladder cancer caused by pioglitazone--a risk which increases with longer duration and higher doses of the drug.  The FDA has also advised doctors to avoid prescribing drugs that contain pioglitazone to patients with active bladder cancer and to consider the risks and benefits of prescribing these drugs where there is a history of bladder cancer.

Your Actos Claim

Takeda Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Actos, Actoplus Met, Actoplus Met XR and Duetact breached its duty to its consumers when it placed these drugs on the market without adequately warning against its potential dangers, including bladder cancer.  Takeda Pharmaceuticals must now compensate these patients that have been diagnosed with bladder cancer as a result of taking their products containing Pioglitazone.

If you have been diagnosed with bladder cancer after taking Actos, Actoplus Met, Actoplus Met XR or Duetact, then you may have a claim against Takeda Pharmaceuticals.  Contact the attorneys at Eastland Law Offices today for a free case evaluation.