The diabetes drug Actos has already been dogged by the allegation that it causes bladder cancer and other adverse side effects. However, a new study has strengthened the case for a link between Actos and life-threatening bladder cancer.

Actos (Pioglitazone) is a drug designed to treat type-2 diabetes. The drug was the tenth best-selling pharmaceutical in the United States during 2008, raking in $2.4 billion. However, as soon as it was approved in 1999, the FDA requested a 10-year safety study to assess the drug’s possible link to bladder cancer. Actos bladder cancer concerns have caused many different countries to ban the drug, including Germany, France, and Japan.

A new study focusing on lower-than-usual doses of the drug has been published in the peer-reviewed journal JKMS, The Journal of Korean Medical Science, which is published by the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences. Earlier studies had focused on the standard dose, and found that Actos was linked to an increased risk of developing cancer, and that every dose seemed to increase this risk. Along similar lines, the new study found that even at a low dose, patient taking Actos experience a greater risk of developing bladder cancer than patients who never took Actos. Allegations that Actos can cause bladder cancer have resulted in lawsuits.

The litigation against the makers of Actos have taken the form of multidistrict litigation or MDL, where thousands of Actos lawsuits are pending. MDLs are a type of group lawsuit, similar to an Actos class action lawsuit. Both the Actos MDL and an Actos class action lawsuit involve a number of plaintiffs alleging that they have suffered similar harm at the hands of the same defendant. The main difference is that class action lawsuits start out as a group lawsuit, while MDLs typically start out as dozens, hundreds, or even thousands, of individual lawsuits that are later coordinated into a single legal proceeding. MDLs are more common than class action lawsuits in drug litigation, since drug lawsuits are typically spread across the country.

The Actos MDL currently holds 6,000 Actos bladder cancer lawsuits that accuse drug makers of failing to warn about the risks of Actos. The Actos MDL is In Re: Actos (Pioglitazone) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2299, filed in U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana.

Get a Free Actos Bladder Cancer Case Evaluation

If you or a loved one suffered from bladder cancer after using Actos, you’ve almost certainly been through a trying ordeal. A cancer diagnosis can be devastating, and may entail invasive and grueling medical procedures, or the loss of a loved one. When facing such a situation, many people feel overwhelmed and lapse into depression.

Regardless of the challenges you are facing, you still have rights, and there are steps that you can take to regain a measure of control over your situation. You can start by obtaining a free case evaluation to see if you qualify to pursue compensation for your injuries.