The diabetes drug Januvia (sitagliptin) controls blood-sugar levels by stimulating the pancreas to make more insulin. Unfortunately, recent studies suggest it could over-stimulate the pancreas and lead to inflammation, pancreatitis, or even pancreatic cancer. As the FDA investigates these risks, hundreds of lawsuits have been filed and centralized in one federal court in California.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Januvia induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
What is a Multi-District Litigation?
In the United States, most large and complex drug injury litigation is resolved in a Multi-District Litigation (MDL) rather than a class action. This is a federal action that allows class actions and individual lawsuits to be transferred from many state courts into one federal court. Unlike a class action, lawsuits transferred into an MDL remain independent.
Hundreds of Lawsuits Centralized in California
In July 2013, federal judges issued an order (PDF) to centralize all lawsuits involving pancreatic side effects of diabetes drugs in the incretin mimetic class, including Januvia. Plaintiffs in the litigation allege that drug-companies downplayed the risk of pancreatic cancer. By January 2016, over 750 lawsuits were transferred into the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, under Judge Antony J. Battaglia: In Re: Incretin Mimetics Products Liability Litigation MDL.
Januvia and Pancreatic Cancer
No one knows if Januvia causes pancreatic cancer, but evidence of a potential risk has been growing for years. Januvia treats diabetes by increasing hormones called incretins that tell the pancreas to make more insulin. After long-term treatment, especially at high doses, it is possible that incretin therapy could lead to pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation). Chronic pancreatitis is a risk-factor for pancreatic cancer.
FDA Safety Warnings for Pancreatitis and Cancer
In March 2013, the FDA issued a Safety Communication about two concerning studies. One of those studies found a doubled increased risk of pancreatitis associated with incretin therapy. The other study found pre-cancerous growths in pancreases taken from patients on incretin therapy for at least one year. Although Januvia has only been on the market for a few years, the FDA has already issued warnings about 88 cases of pancreatitis, including several reports of life-threatening hemorrhagic and necrotizing pancreatitis.
More Information About Pancreatic Cancer
- What is Pancreatic Cancer?
- What Causes Pancreatic Cancer?
- What are Symptoms?
- What are Complications?
- How is it Diagnosed?
- What are Treatment Options?
What is the problem?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is nationally recognized as a class action law firm in the United States. However, we have decided against pursuing a Januvia class action lawsuit. Contact us today if you need information about filing a lawsuit. We are currently reviewing cases involving people who were injured by:
What is a Class Action?
When most people think about a large, nation-wide drug injury litigation, they think about a class action lawsuit. This is a specific type of lawsuit that consolidates many similar injury claims into one claim. All of the claimants are usually represented by one law firm and one person who was injured (called the “class representative”). The lawsuit is filed in a state court, but in some cases they are transferred to the federal level.
Why Our Law Firm is Filing Individual Lawsuits as Opposed to a Class Action
The problem with class actions is that members may have to accept a “low-ball” settlement with higher attorneys’ fees. Class actions are not designed to maximize compensation for people with the most severe injuries. Instead, class actions are designed to resolve a lot of similar legal claims as quickly and efficiently as possible. Any compensation awarded must be shared equally among everyone in the class action. In some cases, attorneys take a huge cut of the payout, leaving little remaining.
Instead of a class action, our attorneys are filing individual lawsuits. We focus our efforts on helping people with the most severe injuries fight for compensation and justice. We specialize in filing lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies that sell unsafe medications and fail to adequately warn about side effects. If you decide to file a lawsuit, you could potentially receive compensation for:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages or decreased income
- Future medical care
- Decreased quality of life
- Disability
- Wrongful death
Do I have a Januvia Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Januvia induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
Attention Lawyers: We consider a referral from another law firm to be one of the greatest compliments. If your firm is interested in referring us a case or for us to send you a list of previous award judgments and/or average referral fees, please visit the Lawyer Referral section of our website.
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs' law firms and handles cases in all 50 states. We are very proud of our legal achievements, but equally self-respecting of our firm's reputation for providing personal attention to each and every client we represent.
