Will FDA Stance on Byetta and Pancreatic Cancer Affect Byetta Lawsuits?

Last Month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advised that they would not require a label change for Januvia and Byetta to warn of an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. 

The FDA previously advised it would look into the safety of Byetta, Januvia, and other increntin mimetics such as Victoza and Onglyza after a study suggested that patients who took Byetta, Januvia,  Victoza or Onglyza may have a higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer than individuals who did not treat with these medications.   

During the month of July, the FDA’s European counterpart, the European Medical Agency (EMA) concluded from a European study that there was no sufficient evidence to prove that Byetta and Januvia caused Pancreatic Cancer.  The July study suggested that the data in the study was biased and contained “methodical limitations”.

The FDA’s decision to agree with the EMA’s stance and not call for a label change at this time is a big blow to patients who took Byetta or Januvia and were later diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.    While the EMA suggests there is no clear link, the fifty plus plaintiffs involved in Byetta Lawsuits and Januvia Lawsuits beg to differ.  Across the country patients are filing Byetta Cancer Lawsuits and Januvia Cancer Lawsuits alleging that these drugs caused their Pancreatic Cancer.

The FDA will continue to investigate the potential link between Januvia and Byetta and Pancreatic Cancer.   The agency’s ultimate ruling will no doubt have an affect on the outcome of Byetta and Januvia lawsuits one way or another.

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