Researchers have uncovered data that indicates that using Actos could heighten the risks of both pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer. Actos, a medication used to treat the symptoms of type 2 diabetes, has previously been linked to a risk of bladder cancer. This study, which was financed by Takeda Pharmaceuticals, only adds to the existing concerns regarding the use of this medication. Thousands of Actos bladder cancer lawsuits have been filed against Takeda Pharmaceuticals and settled by the company.
About This Actos Study
The study, a link to which can be found here, was recently published in JAMA, or the Journal of the American Medical Association. The researchers were from the University of Pennsylvania and Kaiser Permanente. The study involved reviewing data on more than 193,000 people who had been treated for bladder cancer between the years of 1997 and 2002. All of them were at least 40 years of age. Of those people, a group was separated that had used Actos in the past, and the groups were further defined based on how long they had used Actos and the cumulative dose.
Surprisingly, the study concluded that there was no significant increase in the risk of developing bladder cancer for those who had used Actos. However, the researchers did find that those who used this medication were 13 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer. In addition, people who had used Actos in the past were 41 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer. Neither of these forms of cancer had ever really been linked to the use of Actos before. The researchers stated in their conclusion that the “increased prostate and pancreatic cancer risks associated with ever use of pioglitazone merit further investigation to assess whether they are causal or are due to chance, residual confounding, or reverse causality.”
Previous Actos Lawsuits
As stated above, Takeda Pharmaceuticals has already faced its share of legal scrutiny for this medication. This legal scrutiny centered on the alleged link between using Actos and developing bladder cancer. In early 2015, the company agreed to pay $2.4 billion in damages to settle approximately 8,000 Actos bladder cancer lawsuits. However, this action is not related to any Actos pancreatic or prostate cancer lawsuits that could be filed if the findings in this study are confirmed.
Actos Cancer Lawsuits and Your Legal Rights
If you have used Actos to treat the symptoms of type 2 diabetes and you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, you may need to take the appropriate steps to evaluate your legal rights and options. You should only do so with the help of Actos cancer lawyers who have been holding large corporations accountable for the harm inflicted on consumers for many years, as enormous corporations will fight to protect their legal and financial interests. Contact Parilman & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation. You can either email the firm or call 800-800-DRUG.