Actos Lawsuit Settlements Could Be More than Avandia Settlements

Actos Lawsuit Settlements Could Be More than Avandia Settlements

By Andrea Gressman

Actos — the brand name under which the prescription drug Pioglitazone is marketed — is primarily used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The drug, however, is equally renowned for its side effects that include heart failure, macular edema and other life-altering ailments. It has also been linked to many different cases of bladder cancer. Not surprisingly, hundreds of Actos side effects lawsuits have been filed against Takeda Pharmaceutical – the maker of Actos.

Actos Lawsuits Filed Over Side Effects

Since millions of patients with type 2 diabetes have been prescribed Actos, many patients have become victims of Actos side effects. As a result, the number of Actos lawsuits has increased over the years. While U.S. federal courts already have hundreds of Actos lawsuits registered, state courts are also quickly catching up. With the rising number of cases, a judicial panel recently consolidated all the federal Actos lawsuits in a single court in Louisiana. Details of the Actos lawsuit MDL can be found under the Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) No. 2299.

With new evidence suggesting the involvement of Actos in congestive heart failure, bone fractures, lactic acidosis and, more recently, bladder cancer cases, a victim can file a lawsuit seeking monetary benefits. The monetary benefits will help pay off rising medical costs as well as serve as compensation for the harm caused by Actos side effects.

Most of the lawsuits filed by former Actos users claim that Takeda knew of the medical side effects that patients would be exposed to with consistent intake of the drug Pioglitazone. These claims cannot be discounted given the fact that Takeda had conducted a 10-year epidemiological study, which should have given the company warnings about the complications of taking the drug over a long period.

The Long History of Actos Side Effects

Actos, which was approved as early as 1999, has not been without its share of controversies. It had already come under the radar of the federal authorities in 2002 when FDA regulations required that any incident of a patient suffering from heart failure after being administered Actos be reported. Despite such a significant happening, Actos continued to be sold in increasing numbers to unsuspecting consumers.

There are plenty of other instances of negligence on the part of the drug makers to support a plaintiff’s case for suitable compensation. In 2007, Actos had to be recalled from pharmaceutical stores for insufficient warnings on their labels. More recently, evidence has pointed to a definite link between Actos and bladder cancer, leading FDA regulators to issue warnings about the propensity of the drug to lead to bladder cancer. France and Germany have already pulled Actos off the shelves after finding sufficient evidence linking the drug to bladder cancer.

Actos vs. Avandia

Interestingly, Actos was approved the same year that Avandia, another controversial drug to treat type 2 diabetes, was approved. Actos, in fact, took over the type 2 diabetes markets after Avandia became notorious for its side effects. Plaintiffs of class action lawsuits filed against Avandia have already been awarded over $500 million, and there is no reason why Actos victims should expect anything less. With as many as over 13,000 Actos lawsuits currently pending, the compensation figure could be anything in the range of $1 billion and $5 billion.

If you have been a victim of Actos side effects, do not hesitate to join in the litigation against Takeda. There is a team of qualified Actos attorneys standing by to hear the details of your case and advocate for your rights.