Actos® (Pioglitazone) Treatment of Type II

Diabetes and Bladder Cancer Risk

FDA warns that Actos® increases the chance of bladder cancer in patients who have taken the medication for more than one year

On June 15, 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) informed the public that use of Actos® (Pioglitazone), a medication used in controlling blood sugar while treating type II diabetes, increases the risk of a person developing bladder cancer when taken for more than one year. The FDA took the additional step of adding information about the risk under the Warnings and Precautions label on all medications that includes Pioglitazone as an ingredient.

Symptoms of Actos®-related bladder cancer may include:

> Bladder tumor

> Blood in urine

> Painful urination

> Back or abdominal pain

> Urgency in urination

> Urinary tract infection

Bladder Cancer Risks with Actos®

One five-year study on 193,099 patients found that patients who took Actos® for more than a year had a 40% increase in developing bladder cancer.

Information about Actos®

Actos®  is manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceuticals in Japan and is one of the best selling drugs in the world with sales in the billions.

Actos®  is prescribed to patients who suffer from type 2 diabetes mellitus and assists the body in absorbing insulin.

While the FDA took the step of adding warnings about the cancer risk on medication labels, Actos®, and medications containing Pioglitazone including Actoplus Met®, Actoplus Met XR®, and Duetact® have actually been withdrawn from the market in some countries. In France, the Agency for the Safety of Health products pulled the product from the markets on June 9, 2011. In Germany, the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices advised physicians to stop prescribing Actos®  to new patients starting June 10, 2011.

Some studies also suggest that Actos® may be associated with congestive heart and liver failure.

Do you have an Actos® lawsuit claim?

If you or a loved one developed bladder cancer after taking Actos® or one of the medications containing Pioglitazone, you may have a valid lawsuit claim.

At The Farber Law Group, we have more than 30 years experience representing victims of dangerous drugs and people who have had other serious personal injuries obtain compensation for their damages. Give us a call to arrange a FREE, PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL MEETING. We handle all product liability cases on a contingency fee. That means you pay no legal fees until we win your case for you.

Reference:

FDA Drug Safety Communication: Update to ongoing safety review of Actos (pioglitazone) and increased risk of bladder cancer