Actos Warning

Actos is a medication that acts with diet and exercise to treat type 2 diabetes. This is a condition where the body does not use insulin normally and as a result cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood.

Unfortunately, however, several drug safety organizations have issued an Actos warning linking the drug to serious side effects such as bladder cancer, heart attacks and liver disease.

Actos works by increasing the body’s sensitivity to insulin, a natural substance that helps regulate blood sugar levels. Actos is a concentrated form of pioglitazone, a drug from the class of medication called thiazolidinedione.

Approved for use in 1999 by the FDA, Actos speedily became the most popular type 2 diabetes drug in the world. In 2010, over 2 million people in the US alone were prescribed the Actos drug, earning Takeda around $3.4 billion from sales.

Recently, however, Actos was banned from being prescribed in the countries of France and Germany after a study showed it may increase the likelihood of bladder cancer. The study, conducted by the French Medicines Agency, followed 155,000 people who took the drug over a several year period and found that the rate of bladder cancer increased by as much as 40%.

For more information on a recent Actos warning or to learn your legal rights if you have been affected, contact us today.

In June of 2011, the FDA issued an Actos warning to patients, saying the drug could be related to an increased risk of bladder cancer. However, it remains on the market in the United States.

The American Heart Association also issued an Actos warning in August of 2011, cautioning that the drug could increase the risk of heart attacks. Researchers have also linked the drug to liver damage.

Bladder cancer affects nearly 70,000 people per year in the United States. This cancer normally forms on the inner lining of the bladder and builds from there. The majority of bladder cancer cases are discovered at early stages and therefore are treatable. However, the disease does claim the life of nearly 15,000 people each year.

The treatment of bladder cancer may involve surgery, chemotherapy, vaccine therapy, radiation therapy and immunotherapy. Whether one or several are used, they can be costly, time consuming and also painful and weakening to the patient.

Even after bladder cancer is eradicated, a patient must visit their doctor often for follow ups to make sure the disease has not returned.

A lawsuit should not be filed unless it can be proven ahead of time that another party was involved and responsible for the person’s injury. However, an attorney can explain how the makers of Actos might have known of its devastating side effects but continued distributing it nonetheless. 

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with bladder cancer after taking Actos, it is important to speak with an actos lawyer about your legal options. You may be entitled to substantial compensation to help with treatment, recovery, lost earnings and pain and suffering.

We are available 24 hours a day to discuss your case and answer questions. Please do not hesitate to contact us today.

Actos Quick Links

	Actos		Side Effects		Bladder Cancer
	Health Risks		Local Help		Legal Options