A woman who lost her husband to Actos bladder cancer has been awarded a total of $8 million in damages by a California jury.
A woman who lost her husband to bladder cancer has been awarded a total of $8 million in damages by a California jury who, after eight days of deliberation, ruled that Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the maker of Actos) failed to properly warn the public about the risk of bladder cancer when taking the diabetes drug Actos. This Actos bladder cancer settlement, which was the culmination of a two-month trial, included $1.5 million in damages to the widow for her “loss of consortium” claim (a claim related to the loss of the woman’s marital partner) and $6.5 million in compensatory damages.
Approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1999, Actos is an oral medication that, when taken in conjunction with healthy diet and regular exercise, can help patients with type-2 diabetes better control their blood sugar levels. Despite being the tenth strongest selling drug in the U.S. in 2008 (with sale exceeding $2.4 billion), Actos can reportedly increase patients’ risk of developing malignant bladder tumors. In fact, in June 2011, the FDA issued a public safety warning to alert the public that, depending on the dosage taken, these patients have about a 40 percent increased risk of developing Actos bladder cancer when taking the drug for one year.
Some studies have even found that taking Actos can increase type-2 diabetes patients’ risk of developing bladder cancer by more than 80 percent. Specifically, a study published in the May 2012 British Medical Journal revealed that Actos patients have about an 83 percent increased risk of developing bladder cancer (when compared to type-2-diabetes patients not taking Actos) and that the risk of developing Actos bladder cancer increases with long-term use of this diabetes drug.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with bladder cancer that you believe could be attributed to Actos use, contact the experienced Tucson Actos bladder cancer lawyers at the Showard Law Firm. For more than 20 years, we have been standing up for victims’ rights and helping them win the compensation they deserve. For a free evaluation of your case and professional advice regarding the best manner in which to move forward, call us at (866) 307-2147.
