Avandia® and Actos®: Type 2 Diabetes Drugs
UPDATE, June 17, 2011: Actos® may cause bladder cancer
The FDA issued a new warning regarding Actos, revealing that patients who took the drug for more than a year may have an increased risk of bladder cancer. Researchers are speculating what types of alternatives doctors will begin to prescribe for their diabetic patients.
This news comes after last Fall, when the FDA restricted the use of Avandia due to increased risk of heart attacks. Because of its strong link to heart disease, doctors will likely not switch their patients from Actos to Avandia, but may rather seek alternative methods for controlling their diabetes.
If you have been diagnosed with bladder cancer, don't hesitate to contact us for a free and confidential case evaluation. Call 888-285-3333 or fill out the contact form on this page.
For more information, see: ABC News, FDA Warns of Bladder Cancer Risk with Actos
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FDA Calls for Tough "Black Box” Safety Warnings
On June 5, 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested the makers of Avandia® (manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline) and Actos® (manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceuticals/Eli Lilly & Company), to place more prominent warnings on their labels. The special warnings, also called "Black Box” Warnings, advise doctors and Type 2 diabetes patients of increased risks for heart failure and other cardiovascular problems.
On August 14, 2007, the FDA announced that the makers of Avandia® and Actos® will place more prominent black box warnings on their labels advising doctors and patients of the increased risks for heart failure and other cardiovascular problems.
The drugs are also known by their generic names rosiglitazone (Avandia®) and pioglitazone (Actos®).
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Studies Reveal Dangers
Dr. Steven E. Nissen and Dr. Kathy Wolski of the Cleveland Clinic, conducted a study analyzing the results of 42 previous studies of Avandia® involving 27,843 participants. Dr. Nissen is the chief of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic.
In May 2007, the results of the study were placed on the website of the New England Journal of Medicine. According to the New York Times (May 22, 2007), the study showed that Avandia® significantly increased the risk of heart attacks, compared with other diabetes drugs or a placebo. In an interview, Dr. Nissen estimated that "tens of thousands of people” may have had heart attacks as the result of taking the drug.
Additionally, while attempting to expand use of Avandia®, GlaxoSmithKline conducted its own 5,000-patient study which revealed that patients using Avandia® had 66% more heart attacks, 39% more strokes, and 20% more deaths from cardiovascular-related problems compared with a placebo.
FDA issues warning about Actos and Bladder Cancer
Actos® by Taketa Pharmaceuticals/Eli Lilly & Company, a diabetes drug similar to Avandia®, is a close competitor of Avandia® and has also been considered to carry some risk of problems, including heart failure. In June of 2011, it was also discovered that Actos may cause a 40% increased risk for bladder cancer in patients who have taken the drug for 12 months or longer.
Read more about the Actos® lawsuits: Judge sets first hearing in Actos Cancer Litigation
Both Avandia® and Actos® are members of a class of drugs with a difficult and troubling history. One drug in this group, Rezulin®, was withdrawn in 2000 because it caused liver failure and other serious medical problems.
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Contact an experienced pharmaceutical attorney
Some of the serious conditions that have been reported as a result of using Avandia® or Actos® to treat type 2 diabetes are:
- Heart failure
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Other cardiovascular medical conditions
- Bladder cancer (Actos)
If you or a loved one has experienced any of the conditions above as the result of using Avandia® or Actos®, you may be entitled to compensation for:
- Medical treatment
- Hospitalization
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Other damages KCR personal injury attorneys have handled thousands of cases involving defective and dangerous drugs and defective medical devices. We have the specific knowledge and expertise to help our injured clients obtain fair compensation in these complex cases.
In recent years, KCR has litigated and settled numerous nationwide cases involving products such as:
If you think you have developed bladder cancer, heart failure, heart attack, stroke, or any other cardiovascular medical condition as the result of using Avandia® or Actos® to treat type 2 diabetes, the experienced personal injury attorneys of Kershaw, Cutter & Ratinoff can help. Please fill out and submit the contact form on this page for a free and confidential case evaluation or call us toll-free at (888) 285-3333.
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