Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly Face Actos Class Action Lawsuit in Canada

Los Angeles, CA, December 22, 2011 – A class action lawsuit was filed in an Ontario Superior Court against Japanese drug-maker Takeda Pharmaceuticals, alleging that the company knew its popular Type 2 diabetes drug Actos causes bladder cancer. The class action suit also names Eli Lilly as a defendant.

According to court records, the lead plaintiff in the action is a Toronto woman who began taking Actos in 2002. The woman died in April 2011 after a painful two-year battle with bladder cancer. The woman’s family claims that had she known of the potential risk, she never would have taken the drug. The plaintiffs in the class action are seeking an unspecified amount of damages from both companies for their medical costs, lost wages and pain and suffering.

The Canadian lawsuits mirror thousands of others filed against Takeda in the U.S. A number of these cases have already been consolidated into a multidistrict litigation for pretrial proceedings, with new claims filed every day. The avalanche of litigation comes on the heels of a safety communication issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration which advised both patients and physicians of the potential link between Actos and bladder cancer.

Despite the pending litigation, Actos remains on the market in the U.S. and Canada, as well as a number of other countries. The most public recalls of the drug occurred in June 2011, when health officials in France and Germany ordered Actos to be taken off the market in those countries. The European Medical Agency, however, continues to support the use of Actos among adult diabetes patients when other treatment methods are either unavailable or ineffective.

It has yet to be seen how the limited recall will affect Takeda’s earnings for the year. In 2010, Actos was the company’s biggest moneymaker, bringing in nearly $5 billion in revenue. The company suffered another blow recently when the FDA opted to delay the review of its new diabetes drug, which combines Actos and algoliptin.

With new lawsuits being filed every day, it’s clear that Actos users may have cause for concern about the potential impact to their health. Consumer advocacy groups are urging anyone who has taken Actos to contact an experienced personal injury attorney to discuss their case. The law firm of Nadrich & Cohen LLP is currently investigating claims from concerned diabetes patients in all 50 states. The firm is offering free initial case evaluations to all potential clients. Help is available by calling 1-800-722-0765 or by visiting their online Actos resource center at www.SideEffectActos.com.

Nadrich & Cohen LLP is a national law firm specializing in representing clients nationwide who’ve been injured by defective medical devices, harmful prescription drugs, faulty products, traffic accidents, workplace accidents and dog bites. To learn more about our firm, visit www.PersonalInjuryLawCal.com.

Jennifer Poole
National Client Intake Coordinator
Nadrich & Cohen LLP
12100 Wilshire Blvd.
Suite 1250
Los Angeles, CA 90025
800-718-4658
www.personalinjurylawcal.com

This release was published on openPR.