Oklahoma Injury Lawyer Blog

Takeda pharmaceuticals, the Japanese company that manufactures popular diabetes drug Actos, is quickly becoming the target of many lawsuits.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Actos for use in 1999. After its approval, it quickly became the most prescribed drug to treat patients with Type 2 diabetes. Actos is now believed to double the risk of bladder cancer in those who use it.

After a French study revealed that Actos increased the risk of bladder cancer in patients, France and Germany both banned the use of Actos. The United States has yet to follow suit and ban use of the drug. The FDA, however, has issued a warning that prolonged ingestion of Actos may be linked to bladder cancer. According to the FDA warning, "Use of the diabetes medication Actos (pioglitazone) for more than one year may be associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer."

United States officials have also become recently aware that Takeda Pharmaceuticals knew that Actos increased the risk of bladder cancer in patients before they even began to market the drug. The growing number of cases against Takeda are currently being consolidated into multi-district litigation in Illinois and California state courts.

Oklahoma residents are among those who have already filed lawsuits based on Actos. If you are currently taking Actos, consult your health care provider before discontinuing drug use.

The FDA recently reported that people taking Actos (pioglitazone) for more than a year have an increased risk of bladder cancer. Two European countries have already banned the drug.

Talk with your doctor if you are taking Actos.