Byetta® and Januvia® are drugs designed to treat Type 2 diabetes by helping people with the condition control their blood sugar levels. All medications can cause side effects—some of which can be serious—but Byetta and Januvia may be linked to a deadly form of cancer.
In May 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a safety communication indicating that the drugs, which belong to a class of medication called incretin mimetics, were linked to diseases involving the pancreas. In addition, the FDA also released a statement to the public indicating that it was investigating a link between the drugs and the development of pancreatic cancer in patients who took them.
The manufacturer of the drugs may be held liable for several reasons, including:
- The drugs are defective and capable of causing unreasonable and dangerous side effects.
- The manufacturer failed to adequately test the drugs.
- The manufacturer should have or did know about the risks, but didn’t warn doctors or patients.
- The manufacturer concealed the risks of pancreatic cancer from healthcare providers and the public.
While both Byetta and Januvia contain warnings regarding their possible link to pancreatitis, they don’t contain warnings about their possible link to the development of pancreatic cancer.
If you or someone you love developed pancreatic cancer after taking a Type 2 diabetes drug, the drug injury lawyers at Ferrer Poirot Feller Daniel want to help. Call us today for a free consultation.