DrugRisk Update: Januvia Maker Agrees to Transfer Lawsuits to Federal Court

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) May 10, 2013

The diabetes drug safety advocates at DrugRisk.com are announcing new information on the site for those taking the medications Januvia or Janumet. The maker of the drugs has agreed to move a growing number of injury claims to a special federal court in California*.

DrugRisk was created to improve patient safety by providing the latest warnings, recalls, studies and legal news to those taking popular prescription drugs. Visitors can see if others are experiencing similar side effects and decide if they need legal advice.

The resource center contains information on Januvia and Janumet, which are pill-form diabetes medications sold by Merck to help those with type-2 diabetes control blood sugar. Last year, they were two of the best-selling drugs for the company, with sales of over $5 billion**.

DrugRisk also contains research suggesting the drugs may be linked to cancer. A 2011 study from UCLA indicated the drug could increase the risk of pancreatic cancer by 172% and thyroid cancer by 48%***. The Journal for the American Medical Association also recently warned Januvia could double the risk of pancreatitis, a major risk factor for pancreatic cancer****.

Due to the rising number of patients filing a Januvia lawsuit alleging cancer, lawyers have requested that cases be consolidated to a special federal multi-district court in California. (In Re: Incretins Products Liability, Sales and Marketing Litigation, MDL 2452, United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation).

Now, DrugRisk has learned that Merck filed a response last week agreeing to the transfer to the federal court*. The resource center believes this could expedite the legal process for both the company and patients alleging injury.

Anyone affected by cancer after taking Januvia is encouraged to speak with a lawyer about their legal options. However, due to the specialized nature of federal drug injury cases, DrugRisk only recommends lawyers who have already handled Januvia lawsuits.

For more information on the research, side effects and litigation news related to Januvia and other drugs, or to speak with a lawyer, visit http://www.DrugRisk.com.

*JPML, 4/29/13; cdn.aboutlawsuits.com/wp-content/uploads/2013-04-29-Merck-MDL-Response.pdf **Bloomberg, 2/25/13; bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-25/merck-bristol-diabetes-drugs-linked-to-pancreatitis-risk.html ***Gastroenterology, July 2011; ctsi.ucla.edu/education/files/publicview/training/docs/FDA-analysis.pdf ****JAMA Internal Medicine, 2/25/13; archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1656537

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DrugRisk Update: Januvia Maker Agrees to Transfer Lawsuits to Federal Court