There are certain things you need to know about the Actos lawsuit. Actos, released in 1999, is a drug belonging to the thiazolidinedione (TZD) class, and it is similar to Avandia, another drug used for people suffering from diabetes, and was almost banned in 2007 after being linked to heart attacks and cardiovascular deaths, unfortunately causing the switching of millions of patients to Actos. Takeda manufactures Actos, and is the brand name version of pioglitazone, and in 2010 alone, the drug was taken by over 2.5 million people in the United States, making it to be one of the top 10 best-selling drugs in the country.

If you have Type 2 diabetes then chances are you have heard about the Actos lawsuit. Actos is a popular and commonly prescribed medication for people with Type 2 diabetes that helps them manage their disease through increasing their sensitivity to insulin. While Actos is successful in helping people to manage their diabetes, it has been shown to come with some high risks for bladder cancer and congestive heart disease which is part of the reason an Actos lawsuit was filed.

Why is there an Actos Lawsuit?
The Actos lawsuit was originally filed based on the whistleblower account of Helen Ge which alleged Takeda, the manufacturer of Actos, had chosen to downplay certain known risks of the medication in order to increase profit. There is not just one Actos lawsuit, but many, as studies continue to show that prolonged usage increases risk for certain complications in a significant portion of people tested.

While Ge’s Actos lawsuit focuses on the risks of congestive heart disease associated with taking the medication, later studies have linked it to an increased risk of bladder cancer as well. As of 2012, both Germany and France have banned the medication and the US FDA has issued a stronger requirement for a warning label on Actos.

How do I know if I should file a claim in the Actos lawsuit?
Talk to your doctor first. If you both feel like you have complications that may have resulted from taking Actos and your doctor is of the opinion that had the extent of the risks been known the medication would not have been prescribed to you, you may have a claim in the Actos lawsuit.

Part of what you and your doctor should consider is whether or not you either had badder cancer or congestive heart disease at the time you were prescribed Actos or, if you have a significant history of either disorder. Having a genetic history for bladder cancer or heart disease may not be enough cause to include your claim in the Actos lawsuit. If you feel like you do have cause, consult a lawyer who specializes in class action lawsuits.

Does the Actos lawsuit mean I should stop taking Actos?
No. Just because there is an Actos lawsuit you should not choose to stop taking the medication on your own. Suddenly stopping or even tapering off Actos without having an adequate replacement to help manage your diabetes could lead to worse outcomes than those featured in the Actos lawsuit.

Talk to your doctor and they will help evaluate your risk for the complications outlined in the Actos lawsuit and then you both can make an informed decision about with to continue the medication or not. Your doctor will also be able to offer suggestions for replacement medication should you be considered at risk for complications or, if the knowledge of the Actos lawsuit makes you want to get off the medication and on to a prescription with lesser risk potential.

Increasing researches and disclosures about the side effects of Actos have had aggressive reverberations. Recent research has raised awareness and disturbed many Actos users in 2012. Heart failure caused by Actos as well as an increased risk of bladder cancer has been found in many people who have taken actos for extended periods of time (typically >12 months). Since then, people who have suffered these major ailments after taking Actos have resorted to litigations in order to compensate for their suffering and monetary losses due to treatments and hospital visits. Another breakout occurred when FDA confirmed that Actos consumption over one year increases the risk of bladder cancer.

Before to these unfortunate findings, Actos was considered safe and effective in treatment of Type 2 Diabetes, there have been a large number of diabetics who were on prolonged and high doses of Actos and as a result have suffered with bladder cancer. This widespread trauma forced a large segment of people to take legal action against manufacturer of Actos, Takeda Pharmaceutical who did not publicize their knowledge of the health risks associated with consuming their medication.

There have been thousands of Actos related lawsuits being filed in different countries against Takeda Pharmaceutical and Eli Lilly and Company, the marketer of Actos. Takeda Pharmaceutical is being sued to compensate for the loss of health, medical expense, and income as well as the associated pain/suffering caused by Actos’ negative side effects. Owing to the increased number of Actos lawsuits being filed, a judicial committee has decided to transfer all Actos cases to a single court in Louisiana; a process known as “Multidistrict Litigation”.

A few of the important litigations so far have been- the lawsuit filed by Audrey Rudolph Walters of Texas after being diagnosed with bladder cancer due to Actos intake for four years. He demanded substantial warnings about associated risk of bladder cancer be issued in public interest by the manufacturer. In another lawsuit filed by Lee Struble of Illinois, Takeda Pharmaceutical has been alleged of misguiding advertisement, positioning Actos as a safe drug. A very important lawsuit came up with Gail Herlihy demanding $150,000 and more as compensation for her disturbed quality of life.

The major lawsuit in this context has been filed by Jeanette Hare on behalf of her husband who died due to Actos induced bladder cancer claiming that the death could have been escaped if Takeda Pharmaceutical warned about the risks associated. This lawsuit preceded FDA warning issued against Actos. Identical lawsuits have been filed by many others explaining that if essential warnings related to cancer risk were communicated; they would have not opted for Actos.

Actos is a medication used for the management of Type 2 Diabetes. It is not a form of insulin or glucose but works to enhance the body’s ability to use its own insulin to control blood sugar levels. Actos may be prescribed for other types of diabetes but is most effective with Type 2. The drug is orally administered as a tablet in the 15, 30 or 45 milligrams measures, and it has a formula of many molecules like hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, magnesium stearate and lactose monohydrate.

Type 2 diabetics have gone through a pre-diabetic stage and while their diabetes is caused from genetic and environmental factors, it is the most common diabetes found in those who are overweight. Recently, studies have shown that Actos may carry some risks for patients that may outweigh its benefits. The FDA has reissued a caution about the medication but patients should educate themselves about the findings and talk to their doctors about what risk Actos presents to them.

How is Actos Taken?

Actos is an oral medication that should be taken as prescribed with an 8 ounce glass of water. Actos should be taken at the same time every day. If you miss taking this medication as scheduled, take it as soon as possible but do not take it within 3 hours of the next scheduled dose.

It is possible to take too much Actos and if you believe that you have, contact a doctor, emergency room and/or poison control immediately. Actos works to make the body more sensitive to insulin and taking too much could result in the body creating abnormally low blood sugar levels which can be dangerous.

What Medications can Actos Interact with?

You should talk to your doctor and a pharmacist about whether or not Actos will interact with any other medications that you are taking. Actos can interact with other types of blood sugar control medication and insulin products. It can also be counter-indicated when the person is taking certain forms of birth control.

The list of medications it can interact with is very long so ask your pharmacist to examine what you are taking to see if it is on the list. It is also recommended that you avoid alcohol, some supplements, hormonal steroids and some herbal remedies if Actos has been prescribe to you to treat your diabetes.

Actos, Bladder Cancer and Heart Disease

In 1999, Takeda Pharmaceuticals Inc., a large Japanese manufacturer, got FDA approval, but the increased risk of bladder cancer related to it was detected during the five-year interim review, and tests carried out between 2006 and 2009 in France and also showed that there are risks for bladder cancer with it, leading the country to remove it from the market, while other European countries, for example Germany, also stopped all new prescriptions for it.

The risks of the drug appear to be great enough to have moved at least one country to ban the medication and in the US, the FDA has issued a warning about Actos and is requiring the medication to be clearly labeled with the risk potential.

That said; the studies showed that while Actos does have a verifiable link to an increased risk for both of these diseases that the risk does not impact all Actos users. It was shown that the greatest risk was held by people who had taken the medication over a prolonged period of time and already had the diseases or had a history of the diseases. In the US, Actos is still considered safe for most people to use over a reasonable period of time.

Thousands of people have been prescribed Actos ( Pioglitazone ) to help maintain their blood glucose levels. While it is indeed an effective drug for those suffering Diabetes Melitus Type 2, there have been extremely dangerous, even deadly, side effects surfacing within recent times. It’s been said that taking Actos for an extended period of time is directly linked to upwards of a 40% increased chance of bladder cancer.

The manufacturer of Actos, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, have recently come under a series of lawsuits due to their involvement with the drug as well as potentially failing to make consumers of this drug aware of it’s extremely serious side effects. While bladder cancer is merely one of several very serious Actos Side effects, if you or a loved one have ever taken Actos, it’s extremely important to educate yourself on the other, possibly preliminary, side effects such as bloody urine, vision problems, bone fractures, etc.

If you know someone, or have personally experienced, any of the symptoms related to taking Actos, it’s extremely important that you seek professional medical advice as it is a very serious medical condition you may be dealing with. Should you be impacted by it’s side effects and feel you are entitled to monetary compensation for damages and medical expenses, consider visiting the Actos Lawsuit information website to see how you can get involved.

Disclaimer:
This article is in no way meant to treat or diagnose any medical conditions; it is intended for the sole purpose of bringing consumers and patients a way of finding more information out. A medical doctor as well as a lawyer should be contacted for any questions or information regarding Actos side effects or the Actos lawsuit. Actos related illness is extremely serious and any information or advice should be sought out as such.