DrugRisk Update: Court Deciding Whether to Consolidate Januvia Lawsuits
New York, NY (PRWEB) August 13, 2013 -- The diabetes drug safety center at DrugRisk.com is advising patients taking the medications Januvia or Janumet of new information on the site. Following a recent hearing, the court is deciding whether to consolidate a growing number of lawsuits alleging the drug caused pancreatic cancer*.
DrugRisk was created to give patients taking popular prescription drugs like Januvia the latest warnings, recalls, studies and legal news in an effort to improve safety. 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 that link Januvia and Janumet to cancer. A 2011 study from UCLA linked Januvia with 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****.
The FDA, however, has advised that, for now, there is no evidence to show diabetes drugs like Januvia are associated with higher cancer rates and no label change is warranted*****.
Due to the number of patients who have filed a Januvia lawsuit alleging cancer, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation is considering a consolidation of cases to a central court. (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 .
*JPML, 6/12/13; jpml.uscourts.gov/sites/jpml/files/Hearing_Order-7-25-13.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
*****Pharmalive 7/30/13; pharmalive.com/fda-decides-no-risk-of-pancreatic-cancer-with-diabetes-drugs
Patient Advocate, DrugRisk, http://www.DrugRisk.com, 888-415-1859, [email protected]
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