New Study Confirms Actos Bladder Cancer Link

Pioglitazone (Actos) is an antidiabetic agent in the thiazolidinedione drug class. The British Medical Journal published an article May 31, 2012, stating that pioglitazone has been found to be associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer development according to a case-control study. Patients taking pioglitazone (Actos) for at least 2 years were found to have double the risk of bladder cancer. In August 2011, Medscape Medical News stated that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration updated the pioglitazone label, warning against starting pioglitazone in patients with active bladder cancer and to use caution in prescribing to patients with previous bladder cancer history. “[T]he results of this study provide evidence that pioglitazone is associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer, whereas no increased risk was observed with the thiazolidinedione rosiglitazone,” explains the study author. “The increased risk associated with pioglitazone became apparent after use for at least 24 months and receiving cumulative dosages greater than 28,000 mg. Such associations may have been underestimated in previous observational studies that included prevalent users.” Dr. Hillaire-Buys and Dr. Faille state “it can confidently be assumed that pioglitazone increases the risk of bladder cancer. It also seems that this association could have been predicted earlier. Worldwide, exposure to pioglitazone is estimated to be more than 20 million patient years. Considering that the benefit of pioglitazone in reducing cardiovascular events is questionable, prescribers who are ultimately responsible for therapeutic choices can legitimately question whether the benefit-risk ratio of pioglitazone is still acceptable for their patients with diabetes.” The Law Firm of Rudolph F.X. Migliore, P.C. is investigating cases of Actos-related bladder cancer. If you are a loved one has been diagnosed with bladder cancer while on Actos call the firm at 631-543-3663 or visit actos-bladdercancer.com . With over three decades of experience, the firm is well positioned to help victims of Actos . The firm works with nationally recognized co-counsel to obtain major verdicts and settlements.

Canada Warns its Citizens of Actos Bladder Cancer Risks

As more and more patients are reporting the development of bladder cancer, Canada adds themselves to the list of nations that are warning their citizens of the severe risks of using Actos for a long period of time. Actos, a pharmaceutical used for patients with Type 2 diabetes that cannot control their blood sugar with diet and exercise alone, has been taken off the shelves in the countries of France and Germany. In addition, the U.S. has added a warning onto the packaging of Actos in order to bring the severe risks of bladder cancer to the patients’ attention. On June 17, 2011, Canadian officials announced that they would be reviewing excessive reports of bladder cancer after the use of Actos. They also added that further research would be conducted to determine if the cancer is directly related to the use of Actos. Ten months after reviewing the results, Health Canada came to the conclusion that additional warnings would be necessary on the labels of the packaging of Actos. Further, Canadian patients are being advised not to use Actos if they have or have had bladder cancer in the past. Also, if patients are currently taking Actos and are beginning to show signs of bladder cancer (red-colored urine, pain while urinating, an increased need to urinate etc.), they are advised to seek medical attention immediately. The announcement also stated different factors that may give an even more increased risk of developing bladder cancer. The factors that may contribute to this unfortunate development include age, smoking history, family bladder cancer history, workplace chemical exposure, cancer treatments and radiation therapy. Following the release of the FDA’s safety announcement regarding the risks of the use of Actos, there have been thousands of claims against the drug’s manufacturer, Takeda. It has been said that as many as 10,000 claims could be filed following this announcement by the FDA. If you or a loved one has developed bladder cancer as a result of their Actos use, contact our office today for a free case evaluation at 631-543-3663 or visit our website at: www.actos-bladdercancer.com With over three decades of expierence and having handled over 1,300 products liablity cases, Rudolph F.X. Migliore, P.C. is well positioned to help victims of Actos. The firm works with nationally recognized co-counsel to obtain major verdicts and settlements. Rudolph F.X. Migliore, P.C. 631-543-3663 www.actos-bladdercancer.com

Emergency Room Visits and the Diabetes Drug Actos

Startling new information was recently reported by the New England Journal of Medicine. The Journal studied emergency room visits due to adverse drug events in older Americans. Mainly, what drugs were causing those 65 years old and older to make Emergency Room visits and become hospitalized. What they found was that most of these hospitalizations came from common, heavily-prescribed medications. These medications can be broken down into 4 categories: anti-platelet, blood thinners, insulin lowering and blood sugar lowering medications. These categories include popular drugs like Warfarin, Plavix and Actos. Both the insulin and blood lowering medications are typically prescribed for diabetics, indicating that diabetics are susceptible to adverse drug reactions. The study looked at close to 100,000 emergency hospitalizations that the researchers thought were largely preventable.

The researchers said that seniors and doctors need to be especially vigilant when prescribing medications chronically, to ensure that they are effective. Doctors should monitor the patients and make adjustments as necessary to the dosage amounts. See the New England Journal of Medicine’s report.

Actos is used to regulate insulin levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. This study indicated that Actos is a contributor to emergency room visits caused by adverse drug events. Actos has a long history of side effects, first being linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, and more recently to an increased risk of bladder cancer.

The law firm of Rudolph F.X. Migliore, P.C. is investigating cases of Actos-related bladder cancer. With over three decades of experience, the firm is well-positioned to help victims of Actos. The firm works with nationally-recognized co-counsel to reach major verdicts while providing individual, personalized attention. Call us for a free consultation at 631-543-3663 or visit our website: actos-bladdercancer.com for more information.