Januvia Pancreatic Cancer Lawsuits on the Rise

San Diego, CALawsuits involving a class of diabetes drugs called incretin mimetics, including Januvia, have dramatically increased over the last month. As of May 17, 2014, there are 414 complaints linking these drugs to pancreatic cancer pending in federal court, up from 354 Byetta, Victoza and Januvia lawsuits (and other similar diabetes drugs) filed last month.

As of March 13, when the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) issued its Case List update, 320 claims had been centralized in the California proceeding (In Re: Incretins Products Liability, Sales and Marketing Litigation, MDL 2452). These 414 product liability claims are currently pending in a federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) taking place in U.S. District Court, Southern District of California.

Plaintiffs allege that the diabetes drugs caused pancreatic cancer, as well as pancreatitis and thyroid cancer.

Diabetes spells big profits for Merck & Co., the Januvia manufacturer, so much so that Januvia settlements are just a drop in the money bucket for the giant drug company.

The FDA approved Sitagliptin, sold under the name Januvia, in 2006, and just six years later, it was being investigated for a potential cancer risk. Merck even admits that its drug has serious side effects, including low blood sugar, allergic reactions (including Stevens Johnson Syndrome) and life-threatening anaphylaxis, acute pancreatitis and death. It falls short of listing cancer.

Dr. Sidney Wolfe, founder and senior adviser for the Health Research Group at Public Citizen, told Drugwatch.com that Januvia is on the group’s “Do Not Take” list of drugs, along with all of the new diabetes drugs. “In our view, they all are associated with pancreatitis and may be associated with pancreatic cancer,” he said. Dr. Wolfe further explained the “seven-year window to avoid using new medications unless it’s a breakthrough drug, which 95 percent of them are not.” And if you aren’t fully aware of the risks versus the benefits, Wolfe recommends waiting a few years to see the outcome. In the case of Januvia, if researchers can prove its link to cancer, perhaps the drug will be taken off the market.

Dr. Mercola is convinced that Januvia is linked to cancer. He believes the only reason it is still on the market is because billions of dollars are at stake for Merck; Januvia is the best-selling drug to treat diabetes. Watch his video here.