Bladder Cancer is Acknowledged as Main Actos Side Effect

Actos was first presented as a safer alternative to Avandia as a type 2 diabetes treatment. In recent years though, information has come to light that has thrown that assumption into question. Early data from an on-going 10 year study of Actos side effects conducted by Takeda Pharmaceuticals has suggested that users of the diabetes drug may face an increased risk of cancer when the medication is taken for more than a year. According to a separate five-year data from the study, which involves 193,099 patients with data, patient taking the drug for 12 months or longer had a 40% increased risk of developing Actos bladder cancer. The risk increased with both dose size and duration of treatment.

Actos Cancer Litigation Beginning to Build

Sales of Actos have increased significantly in recent years, due to potential concerns about side effects of Avandia. However, recent research suggests that Actos side effects are also a potential concern for diabetes patients. Concerns about the potential risk of Actos cancer side effects first surfaced when it was discovered that rats given the drug had a higher rate of bladder tumors. Recent results from an on-going 10 year study, involving nearly 200,000 patients with diabetes, suggests that there may be a risk of Actos bladder cancer the longer the medication is taken. All of the Actos lawsuits involving cancer include similar

FDA Links Actos to Bladder Cancer and Issues New Warning

Actos (generic pioglitazone hydrochloride) is an oral medication used for treatment of Type 2 diabetes. Recent research suggests that users may face an increased risk of bladder cancer from Actos side effects the longer the medication is taken. The FDA announced a new Actos bladder cancer warning in June, after interim data from a review of 193,099 diabetics revealed that those taking the drug for more than a year had a 40 percent increased risk for bladder cancer. The 10 year study on which the new warnings are based will

40% Increase In Bladder Cancer for Takers of Actos

According to a recent report by the Associated Press, several law firms already represent more than 100 clients who are considering a potential Actos lawsuit, due to the bladder cancer the drug may have cause, and the number of cases is expected to continue to grow as Actos lawyers run advertisements to inform individuals who developed bladder cancer that they may be able to pursue compensation through a lawsuit. Since warnings were issued in June, several Actos bladder cancer lawsuits have been filed in U.S. Courts. One of the first was filed by Nancy Rios, 54, who took Actos for nearly a decade. According to the Associated Press, Rios was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2009, and has undergone two surgeries to remove tumors. She has missed work and is worried about paying her medical bills. She may end up losing her bladder, and could require chemotherapy.

Actos Recalled in France, U.S. Far Behind?

French health authorities have suspended Actos sales, following data that provides further evidence that users of the diabetes drug may face an increased risk of bladder cancer. The Actos recall was announced in June by AFSSAPS, the medical regulatory agency of France. The French decision to remove Actos from the market came after a review of French public insurance data found a slight increase in the risk of bladder cancer linked as a possible side effect of Actos. In France, the drug is taken by about 230,000 people. AFSSAPS said that patients should not stop taking the drug without consulting their physician, but told doctors they should no longer prescribe it.

The FDA and European Medicines Agency are both currently reviewing Actos bladder cancer risks, but neither has come to a conclusion yet. The EMA has said it will look at the French study that led to the recall there. In April, a study by Italian researchers found that more than a fifth of all bladder cancer reports received by the

Actos Side Effects Culminate in Lawsuits

Actos is a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes in patients, and has been successful for a time. Recently, however, patients are discovering some of the more serious Actos side effects associated with the medication. Actos, or pioglitazone, is a member of the diabetes drug class known as “thiazolidinediones”, or TZDs. The public was warned by the Food and Drug Administration in August of this year about the possibility of serious side effects, but many patients were unaware of them before they began experiencing these complications.

Actos, and Actos generic formula drugs, work because they lower blood sugar levels in the body and help the body return to normal insulin-absorbing rates, something that is complicated after the onset of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes comes with its own set of side effects, including kidney damage, nerve disorders, sexual dysfunction, amputation of limbs, eyesight deterioration, and heart attack. Actos has been proven helpful in reducing the occurrence of these complications associated with the disease itself.

However, one of the most talked-about side effects of Actos is the link between it