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.

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.

The Dangers of the Diabetes Drug Actos

New studies are finding that the diabetes drug Actos increases the risk of bladder cancer, specifically in those who have used it for more than a year. A similar drug, Avandia, has already been removed from the market after being linked to an increased risk of heart attacks. In fact, Actos and Avandia are the only two drugs in the class called thiazolidinediones, and work in very similar ways. Actos has already been removed from the market in Germany and France for these same concerns.

Actos is a drug used for patients who have type 2 diabetes. It is used to control the level of glucose in the blood stream when used with a healthy diet and exercise. It now carries a warning label for an increased cancer risk, but it remains on the market with the full support of the manufacturer. In 2010, more than 2 million patients were taking Actos. In one study done on the drug, out of 193,000 patients who were taking Actos for an average of 2 years, their risk of bladder cancer increased 40% compared to if they had never been exposed to the drug.

One of the reasons Actos is yet to be pulled from the U.S. market is because the drug companies insist they have nothing to replace it with. However, that does not justify the significant risk this drug puts its users at. Bladder cancer is a horrific disease that often results in a long and painful journey. It does not have a very high survival rate, and it has a very high recurrence rate among survivors. For every 50,000 people that develop bladder cancer, 12,000 will ultimately die from it. Attorney Rudolph Migliore states “with the decrease in Avandia usage, there has been a rise in Actos but ultimately its effects can be just as harmful.”

It is not advisable to stop taking Actos without talking to your doctor, but if you are on it, proceed with extreme caution in regards to dosage and any warning signs of bladder cancer. If you or a loved one developed bladder cancer after taking Actos, do not hesitate to call our law firm today for a free consultation at 631-543-3663. You may be entitled to compensation for the harm Actos has caused.

With over three decades of experience, the Migliore law firm is well positioned to help those who have suffered because of the dangerous diabetes drug Actos. The firm works with nationally-recognized co-council to reach major verdicts while providing individual, personalized attention. Call for a free consultation at 631-543-3663 or visit migliorelaw.com for more information.