image

Actos Increases Cancer and Heart Attack Risks

Fighting for compensation for those injured by drug side effects in Nashville, Knoxville and Hendersonville, Tennessee

Actos is a prescription diabetes medication produced by Takeda Pharmaceuticals which gained FDA approval in 1999. The generic form of the medication was approved by the FDA in 2013. In July of 2011, the FDA issued a safety warning about the increased risk of bladder cancer associated with taking the drug.

The medical product liability attorneys at the Rocky McElhaney Law Firm work as a team to help our clients who have been injured after taking dangerous or defective drugs. We are ready to discuss your case and give you sound legal advice about your options moving forward. From our offices in Nashville, Knoxville and Hendersonville, we help families just like yours fight for their futures.

What makes Actos a defective drug?

Exposure to Actos for more than one year can result in a 40% increase in the risk of bladder cancer, according to the FDA. After the FDA issued its safety warning, Takeda issued a new label that included a warning about bladder cancer risk. Other potential risks include:

  • Heart failure
  • Liver failure
  • Bone fractures
  • Macular edema

The less serious side effects include tooth and muscle pain and cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose. To date, Actos has been banned in France and in Germany because of its bladder risk. British authorities have also issued safety warning about Actos.

The lawsuits

At the end of April 2015, Takeda Pharmaceuticals agreed to settle upwards of 9,000 bladder cancer lawsuits by setting aside $2.4 billion while admitting no wrong doing. The lawsuits allege that the Japanese drug manufacturer, which has sales exceeding $24 billion since the medication appeared on the market in 1999, failed to adequately warn doctors and their patients about bladder cancer risks.

In agreeing to the $2.4 billion settlement to resolve the products liability lawsuits, Takeda hopes to "reduce the uncertainties of complex litigation." The pharmaceutical giant stands by its product, Actos, which is still on the market and says that the benefits outweigh the risks.

We don’t believe that’s true at all. That is why the legal team at Rocky McElhaney Law Firm represents clients from across the country who have been injured after taking a defective drug. If you or a loved one has gotten bladder cancer after taking Actos, we want to meet with you. You may have standing to pursue compensation for your injuries and losses. We fight on your behalf in trial or during settlement negotiations for the compensation you deserve.

Experienced attorneys fighting for your rights in defective drug cases

When you are looking for a team of attorneys who knows how to fight defective drug cases, contact the Rocky McElhaney Law Firm. We are proud to represent personal injury clients throughout the state of Tennessee, including Nashville, Knoxville and Hendersonville. To schedule a free initial consultation, please call 615-425-2500 or fill out our contact form today.