Man Sues Takeda Over Actos, Claiming the Drug Caused Bladder Cancer, Pain

The lawsuits claiming the type 2 diabetes drug Actos (pioglitazone) from Takeda has caused bladder cancer, keep coming in, and this tragedy is gaining a human face.

"Robert and Jewell Bettorf allege Robert Bettorf began taking Actos ... in 2007," The Record of Madison St. Clair has reported. "At the time he took the medication, Robert Bettorf was unaware that those who took the prescription for more than 12 months faced an increased risk of developing bladder cancer, according to the complaint filed Sept. 16 in Madison County Circuit Court."

The suit says the drugmaker and it U.S. partner Eli Lilly knew of the increased risk of bladder cancer in 2005, the year a 24-month carcinogenic study of Actos in rats was reported. Bettorf was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2008 and stopped using Actos in 2011 after experiencing extreme pain, suffering and emotional distress, as well as incurring high medical costs.

As an experienced Virginia, VA, attorney who deals with dangerous drug cases, I am very concerned about the health problems Actos appears to have caused. It seems to me to be self evident that the manufacturer would have known about the dangers of Actos before federal agencies started taking action this year.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about Actos in September 2011, shortly after sale of the medication was banned in some European countries. Recently I reported on how hundreds of lawsuits are being filed over side effects from Actos, which was once heralded as a wonder drug. 

Sadly, it appears cases such as Bettorf's are all too common for users of this drug. Although there are national class action lawsuits progressing, we will keep any Actos cases in house to retain a local link.

DM