Carr & Carr’s Actos Attorneys can help people who have been diagnosed with bladder cancer and have taken pioglitazone, which is also known by the brand names of Actos, ActoPlus Met, ActoPlus Met XR and Duetact.  If you have type 2 diabetes and have been prescribed medicine by your doctor, it is possible that you have taken one or more of these drugs.  If you relied on Actos to treat your type II diabetes and you have developed bladder cancer, you may be able to file a claim against Takeda Pharmaceuticals, the maker of the drug.

Actos Timeline

• July 1999 – Actos by Takeda Pharmaceuticals is approved by the FDA for treatment of type II diabetes.
• 2007 – Competitor drug Avandia was removed from European markets and limited in the U.S.
• September 2010 — FDA began reviewing data from a 1o-year study to evaluate the risk of bladder cancer associated with taking Actos.
• June 2011 – Actos linked to 40 percent increase in risk of bladder cancer when used for more than one year.  FDA warned that using Actos for more than one year may be associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer.  FDA recommended that people receiving treatment for bladder cancer should not take Actos, and Actos should be used with caution in people with a history of bladder cancer. This warning also applies to other diabetes pills containing pioglitazone—Actoplus Met, Actoplus Met XR, and Duetact.
• June 2011 – Actos banned in France and Germany.  The European Medicines Agency begins a review of the link to bladder cancer.
• August 2011 – The FDA requires a label update for Actos to show the increased risk of bladder cancer.
• April 2012 – Health Canada requires label updates due to increased risk of bladder cancers.
• May 2012 – Research published in British Medical Journal reveals a nearly doubled risk for bladder cancer caused by Actos, with risks increasing as dosage increases or usage continues.  Taking the medicine for two years can double the risk of bladder cancer.

What Is Pioglitazone (Actos, ActoPlus Met, ActoPlus Met XR and Duetact) Used For?

Pioglitazone is used mainly to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus.  Doctors typically prescribe pioglitazone along with diet and exercise to control blood sugar levels.

What Brand-name Medicines Contain Pioglitazone?

Pioglitazone is sold alone and in combination with other diabetic medications.

Medications containing pioglitazone

• Brand name: Actos — Scientific Name: pioglitazone hydrochloride; Drug class: thiazolidinediones

Multi-ingredient medications containing pioglitazone

• Brand name: Duetact — Scientific name: hydrochloride and glimepiride; Drug class: antidiabetic combinations
• Brand names: ActoPlus Met, ActoPlus Met XR — Scientific name: pioglitazone hydrochloride and metformin; Drug class: antidiabetic combinations

Has Actos Or Any Drug  With Pioglitazone Been Recalled?

The FDA has stated that further investigation is needed to fully understand the severity of the risk of bladder cancer.  The FDA has changed the packaging of Actos, Actoplus Met, Actoplus Met XR, and Duetact to require warnings about bladder cancer.  According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, in clinical studies, more people who took pioglitazone for more than one year developed bladder cancer 40 percent more than people who did not take pioglitazone.

The German government has advised all doctors to stop prescribing Actos until further studies can be completed.  Additionally, the French government has pulled all Actos off their shelves.

What Should I Do If I Have Bladder Cancer And Have Taken Actos?

Follow your physicians medical instructions.  Then contact an experienced attorney who works with defective pharmaceutical products.  Email Carr & Carr Attorneys or call 1-877-392-4878 now to speak with a lawyer who can help you determine what legal action you need to take.  There is no cost to you for our initial phone call.  Additionally, since we work on a contingency fee basis, you pay for our services only if we settle or win your case.  Depending on the degree of injury and various other factors, you may be entitled to compensation for current medical bills, future medical bills, and pain and suffering.  A lawsuit can also help persuade drug makers to make medicine that is safe.

Our personal injury attorneys can help you no matter where in the U.S. you live.  We work with families across the nation.  With offices located in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, as well as Springdale in Northwest Arkansas, the Actos attorneys at Carr & Carr can help you protect your rights.