Actos Lawsuits Alleging Bladder Cancer Update: Resource4thePeople Reports Judge Continues to Move Multidistrict Litigation Forward

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) August 09, 2013

http://www.resource4thepeople.com/defectivedrugs/Actos-Bladder-Cancer-Lawsuit.html

Resource4thePeople today announced its latest legal information update for consumers following allegations that the use of the diabetes drug Actos (pioglitazone) may cause patients to develop bladder cancer.

The most recent news is that the judge overseeing more than 1,300 consolidated federal Actos bladder cancer lawsuits* from across the country held an important status conference on the case on July 25, 2013.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs seeking compensation over allegations that they developed bladder cancer as a result of the use of the diabetes medication and attorneys for the drug's manufacturer, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, briefed the judge about the progress of the lawsuits.

"These status conference are of immense value because legal problems that may develop as this litigation progresses to possible settlements or trials surface and are brought to the attention of the judge," said Resource4thePeople.

"Among the issues discussed are any problems that might be involved in pre-trial discovery, or evidence-gathering, as well as establishing a timetable for bellwether trials in which both sides will be able to test the strength of their cases."

Resource4thePeople is encouraged with the progress so far and is also announcing that its national network of attorneys will continue to provide free consultations for consumers who wish to inquire about seeking compensation for any allegations of bladder cancer connected with the use of Actos.

During the hearing U.S. District Judge Rebecca F. Doherty in the Western District of Louisiana also scheduled the next status conference for Aug. 22, according to the court file in the multidistrict litigation.

Doherty was chosen by a national federal panel of judges to oversee pre-trial evidence-gathering and legal procedures in the litigation and possibly eventually decide whether to grant the litigation class-action status.

“It is apparent from the regular calendaring of status conferences that the judge is actively managing these hundreds of lawsuits which allege that the long-term use of Actos to treat their diabetes may expose them to life-threatening injuries,” said Resource4thePeople.

“We will continue to monitor these proceedings and report the status of the litigation to consumers who may have been affected by the alleged side effects that are central to these lawsuits.”

Resource4thePeople also is reporting that more Actos lawsuits involving allegations that the type 2 diabetes drug can cause bladder cancer are continuing to be filed across the country.

Among the most recent were 14 Actos lawsuits** filed in Wayne County Circuit Court in West Virginia alleging that the use of the medication caused the plaintiffs to develop bladder cancer.

“The allegations contained in the most recent filings as well as those n the multidistrict litigation involve the same claims that our national network of lawyers are reviewing from consumers," said Resource4thePeople.

There has also been another important development in connection with allegations that Actos may be linked to life-threatening bladder cancer: India has now banned the sale of the medication out of concerns for consumer safety.

Resource4thePeople reports that the ban on Actos, manufactured by Asian pharmaceutical giant Takeda was detailed*** in the June 27, 2013 edition of The Times of India, the national newspaper, which wrote:

“In the case of pioglitazone too, France has already taken it off the shelves, while in the US it is sold with a boxed warning. The warning emphasizes that it may cause or worsen heart failure, and its use for over a year may be associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer.”

The Times report said that the government also banned sales of the pain-killer analgin and anti-depressant deanxit “in the wake of health risks associated with them.”

The Times said the ministry of health and family welfare has suspended the manufacture and sale of all three drugs under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 with immediate effect, through a notification issued on June 18.

“While the ministry has been dilly-dallying on withdrawing analgin and deanxit for years now, despite pressure from a parliamentary panel, the decision on the diabetes drug pioglitazone has taken the industry completely by surprise,” said the Times.

Concerns about Actos were raised by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on June 15, 2011 after the agency staff reviewed a Takeda-sponsored study which documented an increased risk of developing bladder cancer with Actos than other diabetes drugs.****

Here is part of the safety announcement:

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is informing the public that use of the diabetes medication Actos (pioglitazone) for more than one year may be associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer. Information about this risk will be added to the Warnings and Precautions section of the label for pioglitazone-containing medicines. The patient Medication Guide for these medicines will also be revised to include information on the risk of bladder cancer.”

Resource4thePeople is also responding to consumer inquiries by making them aware that Actos also has been banned in Germany but has not been recalled so far in the United States, where the FDA has chosen to issue a health warning.

Sources:
*In Re: Actos (Pioglitazone) Products Liability Litigation, MDL2299 U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana
** Richard M. Douglas Sr. et al. vs. Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Case Numbers 13-C-111, 13-C-112, 13-C-113, 13-C-114, 13-C-115, 13-C-116, 13-C-117, 13-C-118, 13-C-119, 13-C-120, 13-C-121, 13-C-122, 13-C-123, 13-C-124, Wayne County Circuit Court, West Virginia, Judge James H. Young Jr.
*** http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-06-27/india/40232041_1_flupenthixol-and-melitracen-novalgin-analgin
**** http://www.fda.gov/drugs/drugsafety/ucm259150.htm