Actos News

Actos Manufacturers Failed to Disclose a Risk of Bladder Cancer
Wednesday, January 11, 2012

The Law Journal reports that hundreds of Actos bladder cancer lawsuits are being consolidated in Louisiana, Illinois and California. Some 125 lawsuits were coordinated in federal court On Dec. 29, by the U.S. Judicial Council on Multidistrict Litigation and will be heard in Louisiana. Approximately 100 other Actos cases are pending in Illinois Circuit Court, and are yet to be assigned.

Another 30 Actos lawsuits are pending in California state courts, Cynthia Garber, an attorney in the Los Angeles office of Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman, whom have filed three Actos lawsuits, told law.com. On January 4 those cases were coordinated by Los Angeles County, Calif., Superior Court Judge Carl West, who suggested the litigation be consolidated before a judge in his court.

Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly, who promoted the type 2 diabetes prescription drug Actos from 1999 through to 2006, are accused of failing to disclose that patients with the longest exposure to Actos had an increased risk of bladder cancer. Court documents will reveal that the FDA issued a warning after a five-year epidemiological study found that patients with the longest exposure to Actos had an increased risk of bladder cancer. The FDA have since approved updated warning labels for patients and health professionals regarding Actos.