Januvia Diabetes Medical Pancreatic Cancer
Januvia Diabetes Drugs Lawsuit – Type 2 Diabetes Drugs Januvia, Byetta, Victoza Pancreatic Cancer Mass Tort Lawsuit Investigation
Millions of Americans suffer from Type 2 diabetes, and millions more are expected to develop this disease in the coming years. Diabetes is quickly becoming a national epidemic thanks in part to the poor diets and exercise habits of Americans. There are two main types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetics are typically diagnosed in childhood: this condition is characterized by the body’s inability to produce the hormone insulin, which is used to help control blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetics (Type 2 diabetes is sometimes called adult-onset diabetes) are able to produce insulin, but their body’s cells have become resistant to the effects of insulin. Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics may require insulin injections to help regulate their blood glucose levels, but some Type 2 diabetics are prescribed Januvia, Byetta, and other similar medications instead or in addition to insulin.
Januvia Diabetes Drug Dangers and Pancreatic Cancer
Januvia is a drug manufactured by pharmaceutical giant Merck: there are other similar medications that are manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies like Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, and Amylin. Januvia and similar drugs are classified as incretin mimetics, meaning that these drugs act like the natural hormone incretin which helps lower the body’s blood sugar levels after eating. These drugs also:
- Encourage the pancreas to release insulin to combat rising blood sugar levels;
- Prevent the release of the hormone glucagon, which (when released) causes the liver to release stored sugar into the bloodstream;
- Suppress appetite by slowing the rate at which the stomach is emptied.
Januvia and other similar drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as treatments for Type 2 diabetes since 2005. They remain on the market despite new evidence suggesting that they can lead to serious side effects such as pancreatic cancer and other similar pancreatic disorders. Pancreatic cancer can be treated if it is caught early and before it spreads. Some of the signs of pancreatic cancer include:
- Jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin;
- Darkening urine;
- “Greasy” or light-colored stools;
- Skin that is itchy;
- Pain in the stomach or in the back;
- Loss of weight;
- Decreased appetite;
- Blood clots;
- Tumors.
If you or a loved one are taking Januvia or have taken an incretin mimetic drug and are showing any of these signs or symptoms, you should talk with your doctor right away. You may need to be tested for pancreatic cancer or other similar conditions and may need to be switched to a different form of treatment for your diabetes.
Lawsuits Against the Manufacturer of Januvia for Pancreatic Cancer
Diabetics generally hope that there will be a cure for diabetes discovered in their lifetimes and are usually eager to try new methods for controlling their blood sugar while still enjoying their favorite foods. Thus, when new drugs are introduced and are recommended by their physicians, diabetics generally do not question their doctor’s advice. This can prove to be a costly mistake, as drugs like Januvia can end up causing conditions that are far worse than the condition they are intended to treat.
Drug manufacturers who create new drugs and treatments for diabetics have an obligation not only to create drugs that are safe and that produce as few of side effects as reasonably possible, but also to warn potential patients about all of the potential side effects they may experience if they choose to take the medication. Doing so allows patients and doctors to openly discuss various courses of treatment and to choose the treatment best suited for the patient.
Lawsuits have been filed against Bristol-Myers Squib and others alleging that these drug manufacturers knew their drugs could produce serious complications but continued to allow them to be sold to patients. Some of these lawsuits also allege that these drug manufacturers did not adequately warn patients of the dangers their drugs presented. The plaintiffs who have filed these suits are seeking compensation for the additional medical treatment they now require as a result of their pancreatic cancer, lost wages, loss of enjoyment of life, decreased life expectancy, and other similar losses.
If you or a loved one have developed pancreatic cancer or another condition of the pancreas after taking Januvia or another incretin mimetic drug, call Stern Law, PLLC at (844) 808-7529. Attorney Ken Stern is evaluating the claims of patients who took Januvia and similar drugs and thereafter experienced health complications. Where appropriate, attorney Ken Stern can assist these patients in bringing suit against the drug’s manufacturer and seeking compensation for the expenses and losses the patient experienced. Stern Law, PLLC is committed to helping dangerous drug victims recover the financial compensation they need in order to begin the recovery process.
