Januvia Lawsuits Move Forward, as Bernstein Liebhard LLP Notes Order Transferring Federal Claims Over Januvia and Pancreatic Cancer to California Federal Court
New York, New York (PRWEB) August 27, 2013 -- Januvia lawsuits continue to move forward, (http://www.januvialawsuithelp.com) following a decision by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation to transfer all federally-filed product liability claims involving Januvia and similar diabetes drugs to a single federal court for pretrial proceedings, Bernstein Liebhard LLP reports. According to a Transfer Order dated August 26, 2013, the newly-formed multidistrict litigation will be presided over by the Honorable Anthony J. Battaglia in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of California. All of the Januvia lawsuits transferred to the proceeding accuse Merck & Co. of failing to provide doctors and patients with adequate warnings regarding a potential link between Januvia and pancreatic cancer. (In Re: Incretins Products Liability, Sales and Marketing Litigation, MDL 2452)
“Our Firm has received numerous Januvia lawsuit inquiries from individuals who were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer while using this diabetes drug. The multidistrict litigation established in California federal court will provide an efficient means for resolving what could be a large number of claims,” says Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing victims of defective drugs and medical devices. The Firm is offering free legal evaluations to alleged victims of Januvia pancreatic cancer, as well as pancreatitis and thyroid cancer.
Januvia and Pancreatic Cancer
Court documents indicate that 53 product liability claims, including Januvia lawsuits, have been filed in various federal courts on behalf of patients who allege their use of type 2 diabetes medications known as incretin mimetics resulted in the development of pancreatic cancer. A multidistrict litigation, such as the one established for these claims, consolidates all lawsuits involving common questions of fact in one jurisdiction for coordinated pretrial proceedings. The aim of a multidistrict litigation is to avoid duplicative discovery and inconsistent rulings across similar lawsuits, and to conserve the resources of the court, parties and witnesses.
In recent years, incretin mimetics like Januvia have been the subject of growing concerns surrounding their potential to harm the pancreas. In 2009, a caution regarding a link between Januvia and pancreatitis – a risk factor for pancreatic cancer - was added to the drug’s label after the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) became aware of 88 instances where Januvia patients had developed acute pancreatitis.* In 2011, a study published in Gastroenterology found that use of Januvia appeared to increase the risk of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, while two cases of thyroid cancer were also reported in the patients who took Januvia.**
In March of this year, the FDA announced that it was investigating incretin mimetics after results from an unpublished study indicated these medications might cause pre-cancerous changes in the pancreas. While the agency has not yet been able to confirm a conclusive link between the use of such drugs and pancreatic cancer, it has said its “review is ongoing as pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer data are being collected.”*** Most recently, a report published June 10th in the British Medical Journal revealed previously unpublished data that indicated the manufacturers of incretin mimetics may have downplayed the drugs’ potential to harm the pancreas.****
Patients who have developed pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer or pancreatitis that may be related to the use of Januvia could be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and more. Learn More about the possible link between Januvia and pancreatic cancer by visiting Bernstein Liebhard LLP’s website. For more information, please call 800-511-5092.
*fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm343187.htm
**http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085%2811%2900172-7/abstract, Gastroenterology, February 21, 2011
***pharmalive.com/fda-decides-no-risk-of-pancreatic-cancer-with-diabetes-drugs, Pharmalot, July 31, 2013
****bmj.com/open-data/incretin#alternate; BMJ, June 10, 2013
About Bernstein Liebhard LLP
Bernstein Liebhard LLP is a New York-based law firm exclusively representing injured persons in complex individual and class action lawsuits nationwide since 1993, including those who have been harmed by dangerous drugs, defective medical devices and consumer products. The firm has been named by The National Law Journal to the “Plaintiffs’ Hot List,” recognizing the top plaintiffs’ firms in the country, for the past 10 consecutive years.
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800-511-5092
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. © 2013 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, 800-511-5092. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.
Contact Information:
Felecia L. Stern, Esq.
Bernstein Liebhard LLP
info (at) consumerinjurylawyers (dot) com
http://www.januvialawsuithelp.com
Felecia L. Stern, Januvia Pancreatic Cancer Lawsuit Center, http://www.januvialawsuithelp.com, +1 (800) 511-5092, [email protected]
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