Bladder Cancer Claims Due to Actos Expected to Rise

Posted by mgudeman in , blogging, news.

When France  and Germany  decided the link between Actos and bladder cancer was too significant to ignore  and quickly took steps to either remove or restrict Actos from the market, many  of the families of diabetics who had died from bladder cancer, which isn’t a  complication of diabetes, took note.    There had previously been two FDA warnings regarding Actos, the first  warned of potential heart attack risk while the second Actos FDA bladder cancer warning spoke of increased bladder cancer risks after two or more years of use.   Because Actos is used by persons with Type 2  diabetes to control their blood sugar, most will use the medication  indefinitely.   Many of the Actos users  who were diagnosed with bladder cancer had none of the usual factors, such as a  family history or exposure to the substances that increase the risk of  developing bladder cancer.   Many of  these Actos users ultimately died from bladder cancer rather than the other  diseases that are associated with diabetes, such as stroke and heart  attack.   The Actos restriction in Europe  was driven by a European medical study that found significant causation for  Actos bladder cancer, even with minimal use.    As this study made the news in the US, many files filed their own Actos bladder cancer lawsuit, alleging  that the manufacturer was aware of the risk that users faced and did not  adequately warn them.  Estimates range  from 20,000 – 70,000 of those using Actos may develop bladder cancer.