Actos Lawsuit Filed Against Eli Lilly and Takeda

An Illinois man has filed a lawsuit against manufacturers Eli Lilly and Company and Takeda Pharmaceuticals, joining over one hundred people who have alleged a link between Actos and bladder cancer. The Madison Record reported in October Robert Bettorf has filed a lawsuit claiming that Takeda and Eli Lilly knew since 2005 of the increased risk of bladder cancer associated with the drug, yet failed to warn consumers or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Actos is the most widely-used adult diabetes drug in the world.

Allegely both Eli Lilly and Takeda knew of the increased risk of cancer from taking Actos for over 12 months yet failed to publish the results of telling studies.

According to the complaint, Bettorf was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2008 and stopped taking Actos in 2011. The lawsuit, and many like it, alleges that both Eli Lilly and Takeda knew of the increased risk of cancer from taking Actos for over 12 months yet failed to publish the results of telling studies, fearing that the drug would be rejected by the FDA. As explained by the Madison Record, the lawsuit alleges “strict liability, negligent failure to warn, negligent design defect, negligence, breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty, negligent misrepresentation, violation of Illinois Consumer Protection Laws, and loss of consortium.”

This past summer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning on Actos, stating that "use of the diabetes medication Actos (pioglitazone) for more than one year may be associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer." After these risks came to light, the medication’s label was altered to include the warning. In addition, the diabetes drug was recalled in both France and Germany, yet not in the United States. Actos is manufactured in Asia by the massive Takeda Pharmaceutical Company.

Though Actos has been widely prescribed to control blood sugar of diabetes patients, it has been linked to a serious type of cancer. If you or a loved one has taken Actos and experienced bladder cancer, you may be eligible to enter a lawsuit against the manufacturers. To see if you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering, contact a dedicated Actos bladder cancer attorney now by completing the form on the right.