If you’ve taken the drug Actos and have developed bladder cancer or similar symptoms, contact our office today. Actos, which is prescribed in conjunction with diet and exercise, is meant to help individuals with Type 2 diabetes maintain low blood sugar. While it has proven to be an effective treatment, recent findings suggest that taking the drug for more than two years can double your chance of developing bladder cancer. Read ahead to learn if you’re at risk, and find out what Actos manufacturer Takeda has to say about the risks associated with taking this medication.
Increased Bladder Cancer Associated with Actos
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After analyzing data on more than 115,000 people treated with diabetes drugs from 1988 to 2009, researchers identified 470 individuals who had been diagnosed with bladder cancer. Comparing these individuals to healthy people, they found that people who had taken Actos specifically were at an 83% percent increased risk. While bladder cancer remains relatively rare among the general population, over 70,000 new cases are diagnosed every year in the United States alone.
Doctors have started warning patients of the potential health risks that can stem from using Actos. Simply put, if you have a history of bladder cancer or have dealt with other bladder conditions in the past, you should not take the drug Actos.
Actos Manufacturer Responds
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A spokesperson for Takeda Pharmaceuticals, the makers of Actos, told WebMD that “Takeda is confident in the therapeutic benefits of Actos . . . and is committed to ongoing clinical research to understand and investigate potential safety concerns.” The label on Actos does include a warning about the risks of bladder cancer, but it should be noted that the drug is banned in France and Germany.
If you’ve taken Actos for more than two years, you should consult your doctor or urologist about bladder cancer screenings. If you’re considering taking Actos to help maintain low blood sugar due to diabetes, you should discuss the risks with your doctor and possibly consider seeking other medications. Give us a call at (702) 522-7707 today if you or a loved one has been impacted by the drug Actos and would like proper compensation for your pain and suffering.
Featured image by ardelfin
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