The jury for the first Actos lawsuit to go to trial ruled in favor of the plaintiff, and awarded $5 Million to plaintiff Jack Cooper, and $1.5 Million to Cooper’s wife. However, just days after the jury found defendant Takeda Pharmaceuticals negligent, the judge overturned the verdict, and nullified the $6.5 Million Award.
Jack Cooper, a 79-year-old California man, took Actos for more than four years to treat his type 2 Diabetes. Cooper was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2011. That same year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) learned through a Takeda-sponsored study that diabetic patients who took Actos had an increased risk of developing bladder cancer compared to patients who treated with another diabetic drug.
Cooper’s lawyer presented the court with a document showing that Takeda sales representatives were instructed not to bring the topic of bladder cancer up with doctors, and instead to “sell, sell, sell”.
The Actos trial began back in February. The jury deliberated for five days before deciding to rule in favor of the plaintiff on April 26th 2013. Cooper’s lawyer plans to appeal in hopes of getting back that favorable verdict.
An article published in Bloomberg News in February advises that Takeda researchers ignored or downplayed concerns about Actos causing bladder cancer before it went on the market in 1999. The article also alleges that Takeda misled United States regulators about the risks of taking Actos and developing bladder cancer.
More than 3,000 Actos bladder cancer lawsuits filed by Actos lawyers across the United States are awaiting trial. Individuals who were treated with Actos and developed bladder cancer may still be eligible to file an Actos lawsuit. However, time is limited due to the Statute of Limitations, so patients are urged to contact an Actos lawyer as soon as possible.
While thousands of Actos lawsuits have been reviewed and are awaiting trial, two more diabetic drugs are under investigation for their potential links to cancer. Researchers recently discovered that patients who treat type 2 diabetes with Byetta and Januvia may have an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Byetta lawsuits and Januvia lawsuits are still in the early stages, but individuals who were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer while treating with Byetta and Januvia are encouraged to seek legal advice as soon as possible.
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