New Study Highlights Greater Risks of Diabetes Drug Actos Causing Bladder Cancer
A new study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) is reporting that use of the drug pioglitazone – better known by its brand name, Actos — is associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer.
Although the drug currently carries a warning about increased risks of bladder cancer, this new study suggests that the risk may be greater than was previously believed.
A research team studied the medical records of more than 115,000 diabetes patients in Great Britain. What they found was that patients who had ever taken Actos had an 83 percent increased risk of bladder cancer. That risk doubled for those patients who took the drug for more than two years and took higher doses.
The same risk didn’t appear in patients who were taking similar diabetes drugs.
In an editorial accompanying the study, two associates from the Department of Medical Pharmacology and Toxicology in Montpellier, France wrote: “It can be confidently assumed that [Actos] increases the risk of bladder cancer. It also seems that this association could have been predicted earlier.”
Although Actos is still available in the United States, it has been banned in Germany and France.
Takeda Pharmaceuticals, the company that manufactures Actos, indicated it hasn’t reviewed the results, but a spokesperson did state that, “Takeda is confident in the therapeutic benefits of Actos and its importance as a treatment for type 2 diabetes.”
If you have been a victim of adverse side effects due to Actos use, the Jacksonville Actos attorneys with Farah & Farah can help you understand what your legal options might be. Please call (800) 533-3555 for a consultation with our dedicated and knowledgeable team.
