Byetta, Januvia Recall Should Be Considered
Amid concerns that Byetta, Januvia and other incretin mimetic diabetes drugs may cause pancreatic cancer, pancreatitis, thyroid cancer and other injuries, a growing number of health experts and consumer advocates are calling for the drugs to be recalled from the market, as any potential benefits appear to be outweighed by the risks.
The product liability lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. represent individuals throughout the United States who are pursuing a Byetta lawsuit, Januvia lawsuit, Janumet lawsuits or Victoza lawsuit, alleging that the drug makers failed to adequately research their medications or warn about the potential risk of pancreatic cancer or thyroid cancer.
These serious and life-threatening side effects stand in stark contrast to the questionable benefits provided by the medications, especially when compared to other available treatment options for diabetes.
Many complaints filed in courts throughout the United States allege that the diabetes drugs should have been withdrawn, since no warnings could justify the risks associated with them on the market.
Earlier this year, the FDA initiated an investigation into the pancreatic cancer risks with Januvia, Byetta, Victoza and other similar diabetes drugs. The investigation came after a study identified pre-cancerous cell changes in the pancreas of patients treated with the drug. Other studies have demonstrated that the drugs may cause chronic, asymptomatic pancreatitis, which could eventually lead to the development of pancreatic cancer.
In March, the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen explained why it believes a recall for Byetta, Januvia, Janumet and Victoza is justified:
“Although we have previously petitioned the FDA to ban Victoza (liraglutide) because of concerns about pancreatic disease and thyroid cancer, it is clear that all of the drugs in this family are associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer and it is likely that they will all have to be removed from the market. The idea of putting a warning label about pancreatic cancer on drugs that have no unique benefit for diabetes but which have increasing evidence of the risk for pancreatic cancer — instead of banning the drugs altogether — would be an extraordinarily reckless approach for the FDA to initiate.”
By keeping these drugs on the market, despite mounting evidence that they are neither safe nor effective and increase the risk of pancreatic cancer and thyroid cancer, it is clear that the manufacturers are placing profits ahead of patient safety. As a result financial compensation may be available through a product liability lawsuit for former users of Januvia, Janumet, Victoza and Byetta who have been diagnosed with:
To review a potential case for yourself, a friend or family member, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.
1 Comment • Add Your Comments
Russell says:
May of 2015 spent 3 days hospitalized and then 2 weeks on the couch and then about 2-3 months recovering. Never have made a full recovery. I was doing about 3 miles on an elipticle machine at the gym. I was glad I was in good shape because if I had not been I probably would not be here. I passed out right after they put me in a wheelchair after I walked (barely) into the hospital with the help of an ambulance driver. When I came back around I had 4 I-V’s (they could not get the tape to stick because of my sweating) in me with 4 to 5 people scrambling to find out what was wrong and keeping me alive. My white blood cell count was over 3,000 and my stomach area(my pancrease) was like I had stuffed 3 basketballs in me. I thank god for the excellent staff at Clermont Mercy hosp in Batavia Ohio for keeping me alive that day. I suffered from severe anxiety attacks almost every day and not slacking off till over a year from the day of my acute pancreatitis brought on by what the Doctors @ Clermont Mercy said was the Januvia I was taking. If you are on it I suggest you find an alternative medication. If my loving wife had not come home right away after my call I would not be here. God put several instruments in my path that day to keep me alive on this earth.I still must have work to do.
Posted on January 14, 2017 at 7:27 pm