In June 2011, the FDA issued a safety alert warning diabetes patients and their health care providers that the diabetes drug Actos could cause an increased risk of bladder cancer if used for more than one year. The safety warning was issued based on the results of a study that led some European countries to pull Actos from the markets. Subsequently, the finding was confirmed by another study published in the May 31, 2012 issue of the British Medical Journal.
In August 2012, a new study conducted by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that the risk is not just for Actos. Instead, researchers found an increased risk of developing bladder cancer for diabetes patients who took medication in the thiazolidinedione family as compared to diabetes patients who took other types of drugs. Medications in the thiazolidinedione family include both Actos and Avandia.
If you have diabetes and have bladder cancer, have had bladder cancer, or may be at increased risk of developing bladder cancer then it is important to talk to your doctor about your diabetes treatment options.
Additionally, if you have developed bladder cancer while taking Actos, Avandia, or another diabetes drug then it is important to contact a Milwaukee class action lawyer for more information about your rights and potential recovery. You can reach an experienced Milwaukee class action attorney today at 1-800-800-5678 or 414-223-4800 for a free consultation.
