Actos Lawsuit Claims Increased Cancer Risk

Plaintiff Vincent Pellettieri and his wife Letty have become among the latest patients to have filed suit against drug maker Takeda. The plaintiffs filed their Actos lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, claiming that Vincent Pellettieri used Actos in the treatment of his type II diabetes and the drug caused him to develop bladder cancer. The lawsuit, filed with the assistance of an Actos lawyer, claims that Takeda knew of the risks associated with their product and failed to warn plaintiffs of the increased chance of developing bladder cancer.

Actos and bladder cancer link

Numerous clinical studies have shown that there is a link between the use of the type II diabetes medication Actos and an increased risk of bladder cancer, particularly when a patient uses the medication for a year or more. The results of a three-year study published in 2005 showed that a higher than average percentage of type II diabetes patients who use Actos developed bladder cancer as compared to patents who were using other medications to control their symptoms.

Pellettieri claims in his lawsuit that he began to take Actos in 2006 in order to manage his blood glucose levels. He used the medication as it was prescribed to him by his physician. Although the plaintiff discontinued his use of Actos in 2009, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer in December of 2010. He claims that his cancer diagnosis was a direct result of using the medication during the time period between 2006 and 2009. He claims that Takeda was negligent in failing to warn him and other patients about the potential side effects associated with their medication, and says that were he aware of the risks, he never would have taken the drug and would instead have looked for a safer alternative.

[SmartLink actoslawsuit]

Damages sought

Vincent Pelletteri and his wife are seeking to cover damages including medical expenses, lost income, disability, pain and suffering, and loss of consortium. The plaintiffs hope that drug maker Takeda will compensate them for the injuries Mr. Pelletteri has suffered as a result of his use of Actos.