DrugRisk Update: Januvia Lawsuits Alleging Cancer Headed to Federal Court
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 12, 2013 -- The diabetes drug safety center at DrugRisk.com is announcing new information on the site for patients taking the medications Januvia or Janumet. A federal panel recently ordered a growing number of lawsuits alleging the drugs caused pancreatic cancer to be consolidated to a special federal court*.
DrugRisk is a resource center created to improve patient safety by giving those taking popular prescription drugs the latest warnings, recalls, studies and legal news. Visitors can see if others are experiencing similar side effects and decide if they need legal advice.
Januvia and Janumet are diabetes medications prescribed to those with type-2 diabetes, taken twice a day to lower blood sugar levels. In recent years, they have been the best-selling drugs for Merck, bringing in over $4 billion last year**.
However, DrugRisk has added studies warning of a risk of Januvia cancer. In 2011, researchers from UCLA discovered subjects given Januvia had increased rates of pancreatic cancer and thyroid cancer***. The American Medical Association recently advised diabetes drugs like these can double the risk of pancreatitis, a major risk factor for pancreatic cancer****.
Now, with a growing number of patients filing a Januvia lawsuit alleging cancer, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation ordered the consolidation of cases to a special federal multidistrict litigation court. (In Re: Incretin-Based Therapies Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2452, Southern District of California)*.
Anyone affected by cancer after taking Januvia or Janumet is encouraged to speak with a lawyer about their legal options. However, due to the specialized nature of federal drug injury cases, DrugRisk only recommends lawyers who have already handled Januvia lawsuits.
For more information on the research, side effects and litigation news related to Januvia and other drugs, or to speak with a lawyer, visit http://www.DrugRisk.com.
*JPML 8/26/13; jpml.uscourts.gov/sites/jpml/files/MDL-2452-Initial_Transfer-07-13.pdf
**Bloomberg, 2/25/13; bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-25/merck-bristol-diabetes-drugs-linked-to-pancreatitis-risk.html
***Gastroenterology, July 2011; ctsi.ucla.edu/education/files/publicview/training/docs/FDA-analysis.pdf
****JAMA Internal Medicine, 2/25/13; archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1656537
Patient Advocate, DrugRisk, http://www.DrugRisk.com, 888-415-1859, [email protected]
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