Pair sued over Actos

Takeda and Eli Lilly are being sued by US-based litigation firm Girard Gibbs over the type 2 diabetes drug Actos (pioglitazone).

The lawsuit alleges that the two failed to warn consumers of the drug’s link to an increased risk of bladder cancer.

AJ De Bartolomeo, one of the main litigating lawyers, said manufacturers were required to issue warnings about the possible risks and negative side effects from their products.

Earlier this year in June, the FDA issued a safety alert in connection with the risk of bladder cancer with the prolonged usage of Actos.

“When a manufacturer decides not to provide full disclosure of the potential risks from a medication, doctors and patients cannot make informed decisions about what drug is right for them, and as a result, people suffer injuries unnecessarily,” Mr Bartolomeo said.