By: Kelda Doherty
Takeda Pharmaceutical Co, Asia’s biggest drug maker is facing the first of over 3,000 suits being brought against it due to allegations made regarding its diabetes drug “Actos”. Allegations include that the drug caused various serious ailments to patients including bladder cancer.
Plaintiff Jack Cooper, a former Pacific Bell Telephone Co. cable splicer took the drug for two years before developing bladder cancer in November of 2011. Cooper’s suit has been expedited due to his grave condition and is being brought before Judge Kenneth Freeman in Los Angeles. In addition to Cooper’s suit, another 1,200 have been consolidated and brought before a federal judge in Louisiana for pretrial information exchanges as well as other suits in the state of Illinois. During Cooper’s two month trial, the Plaintiff’s Attorney Mr. Michael Miller presented internal Takeda e-mails which show Takeda executives urging colleagues to persuade the FDA against demanding a warning alerting the public to the increased risk of bladder cancer on Actos’ label.
Furthermore, evidence was brought before the court showing Takeda was made aware of the diabetes drug’s connection to bladder cancer from as early as 2004 after Takeda studies found links between the drug and cancer. Evidence shows that Takeda did not make US regulators aware of these worrying results until 7 years later.
We are following this closely as our firm has Actos cancer cases in this litigation. In yet another drug litigation causing cancer, we are filing suits on behalf of clients who used the diabetic drugs Byetta, Januvia, and Victoza and developed pancreatic cancer. We are working with a respected cancer surgeon who has treated many patients who developed pancreatic cancer while using Byetta, Januvia, and Victoza.
