European Safety Review Supports Continued Sale of Actos, Despite Bladder Cancer Claims

The European Commission has concluded its safety review of Actos after concerns were raised about the drug’s link to bladder cancer. Nadrich & Cohen LLP is currently offering free initial case evaluations to concerned Actos users in all 50 states.

Los Angeles, CA, January 13, 2012 – Nadrich & Cohen LLP reports that the European Commission (EC) has completed its months-long safety review of Actos and concluded that the drug may remain on the market. The review was initiated after numerous concerns were raised on the drug’s potential link to an increased rate of bladder cancer. The EC’s ruling supports the European Medicines Agency’s earlier assertion that Actos is a suitable form of treatment for Type 2 diabetes patients when other medications or treatments are ineffective or unavailable.

Actos (pioglitazone) was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1999 to treat Type 2 diabetes in adult patients. The drug has been a best-seller for its manufacturer, Japanese-based Takeda Pharmaceuticals, generating approximately $4.8 billion in sales in 2010 alone.

While the European Commission supports the continued use of Actos to treat diabetes in Europe, the organization is asking Takeda to implement stronger warning labels advising patients of the potential risks. This mirrors a move initiated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requiring updated warning labels. The FDA became concerned over the potential link between Actos and bladder cancer after the results of a ten-year research study indicated that patients who took pioglitazone for one year or more had an elevated risk of developing the disease.

Takeda is facing a number of lawsuits in the U.S. involving patients who say they experienced serious side effects after taking Actos. A U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation recently voted to consolidate all federal Actos lawsuits into a multidistrict litigation in a Louisiana court for pretrial proceedings.

If you or a loved one was diagnosed with bladder cancer after taking Actos, you can complete a MedWatch form by visiting www.fda.gov. It is also recommended that you contact an experienced Actos bladder cancer attorney to discuss your legal rights.

Nadrich & Cohen LLP offers confidential, no-cost consultations to Actos users across the country who believe they were harmed by the drug. Help is available by calling the firm’s injury hotline at 1-800-722-0765 or by completing an online case evaluation form at www.sideeffectactos.com.

Nadrich & Cohen LLP is a national law firm with offices in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego and other cities throughout California. The firm specializes in handling mass tort actions and representing individuals in cases involving pharmaceutical companies, medical device makers and other product manufacturers. The firm is committed to achieving the best outcome possible in every case and has recovered over $200 million in settlements on behalf of its clients.

In addition to handling Actos bladder claims, Nadrich & Cohen LLP is also investigating cases involving Accutane, Avandia, Fosamax, Paxil, Zoloft, DePuy ASR Hip Recall, Zimmer Hip Recall, Wright Conserve Hips, Vaginal Mesh, Yaz, Yasmin, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, Benzene, Reflex Sympathy Dystrophy, Fen Phen and PPH, Depakote and Reglan.

The time you have to file an injury claim is limited, so it’s important to act as quickly as possible to protect your rights. Call 1-800-722-0765 today to speak with a qualified personal injury expert or visit www.personalinjurylawcal.com. All cases are accepted on a contingency basis and there is never a fee unless we recover monetary damages on your behalf.

Nadrich & Cohen LLP is a national law firm specializing in representing individuals who have been injured by defective medical devices, harmful prescription drugs, faulty products, car accidents, motorcycle accidents and dog bites. For more information, 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
info@personalinjurylawcal.com

This release was published on openPR.