Archive for the ‘Medical’ Category

Actos in the News

Actos, a prescription medication used for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, has recently become the focus of many news media outlets. The pharmaceutical name of Actos is pioglitazone, and it is manufactured and distributed by Takeda, a Japanese pharmaceutical company based in Osaka, London, and Deerfield, Illinois.

The information herein provided is for educational purposes only, contact an experienced attorney for additional details regarding ,Actos Lawsuits .

The controversy surrounding Actos emanates from a statement issued by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), a regulatory EU entity based in London. The EMEA helps to coordinate the regulatory efforts of European agencies that function in a similar fashion as the Food and Drug Administration in the United States. The European pharmaceutical regulator has been keeping an eye on Actos since it came on the market in 2007.

Actos is currently the world’s best-selling diabetes drug. Its popularity skyrocketed after both the EMA and the FDA issued strict warnings against the use of Avandia, a rival diabetes medication that is thought to greatly increase the risk of heart disease.

Research findings carried on by the EMA on Actos have determined a certain risk of bladder cancer for those taking the medication. Pharmaceutical regulators in France have taken a much more strict view on Actos, effectively pulling it from the market. German regulators have urged the EMA to suspend the marketing efforts of pioglitazone.

When Takeda won FDA approval to market Actos in the United States, it agreed to study the potential risks for a period of 10 years. That study is ongoing. Some physicians have been listening to concerns from their patients and have stopped prescribing Actos altogether. A similar drug manufactured by Warner-Lambert, Rezulin, was pulled from the American market by the FDA due to concerns over increased risks of liver cancer.

Another serious concern involving Actos was presented at the American Diabetes Association annual meeting in San Diego, California. A study conducted on both Actos and Avandia determined that patients taking either drug had increased risks of developing macular edema, an eye condition suffered by many diabetics that can lead to blindness.

At the same meeting, a Takeda executive spoke on behalf of the company, reassuring participants that the pharmaceutical giant was already making progress on experimental medications for the treatment of diabetes that could one day replace Actos.

Goldberg & Osborne, a personal injury law firm, has provided this article for informational purposes only, written by an independent author, and has not reviewed or edited this article and is not responsible for its content or accuracy.

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