DrugRisk Update: New Questions Arise Over Januvia and Pancreatic Cancer
New York, NY (PRWEB) July 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. Health experts in Europe and the U.S. have asked that new studies be performed after reports of a possible link with pancreatic cancer*.
DrugRisk was created to improve patient safety and awareness by providing 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 ingestible diabetes medications designed to lower blood sugar levels in those with type-2 diabetes. They are also the best-selling drug for Merck in recent years, with sales of over $4 billion last year**.
The resource center contains studies suggesting Januvia and Janumet may be linked to cancer.
A 2011 study from UCLA indicated the drug can increase the risk of pancreatic cancer by 172% and thyroid cancer by 48%***. The Journal for the American Medical Association also recently advised diabetes drugs like these can double the risk of pancreatitis, a major risk factor for pancreatic cancer****.
Now, DrugRisk has learned that the American Diabetes Association has called for an independent review of medications like Januvia*. Also, a British Medical Journal report suggested this class of diabetes drugs may be more dangerous than expected, and manufacturers have withheld raw data which would expedite new safety testing*****.
Due to the number of patients expected to file a Januvia lawsuit alleging cancer, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has scheduled a hearing on July 25th to determine where to consolidate the cases. (In Re: Incretins Products Liability, Sales and Marketing Litigation, MDL 2452, United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation).
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.
*ADA, 6/10/13; diabetes.org/for-media/2013/american-diabetes-association-incretin-therapy.html
**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
*****MedPage Today, 6/12/13; medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/Diabetes/39803
Patient Advocate, DrugRisk, http://www.DrugRisk.com, 888-415-1859, [email protected]
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