Behind closed doors, Takeda knew this was coming.
In 2003, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. was already starting to worry that its diabetes drug Actos might be linked to cancer – so much so that the company secretly surveyed a dozen doctors to see if a warning label mentioning a fatal ailment would decrease the likelihood that a doctor would prescribe the drug.
According to allegations made in California court filings, the survey found that “a bladder cancer warning would destroy the sales of Takeda’s most important drug.”
This isn’t the first time allegations that Takeda withheld knowledge had been made. Past allegations brought to light the possibility that Takeda underreported the incidents of bladder cancer in Actos users.
These allegations will play a central role when the first Actos case goes to trial in California on February 19.
More than 3,000 lawsuits are already pending, each alleging that Actos was the cause of bladder cancer. Recent studies have confirmed that long term usage of Actos can result in an increased risk of bladder cancer.
The FDA has also warned about the risk of bladder cancer associated with Actos.
As trials in California begin, and as cases continue to push forward in federal court in Louisiana and state court in Illinois, the truth concerning Takeda’s actions and decisions will hopefully be exposed.
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