Recent medical developments suggest that there may be a significant link between taking type 2 diabetes medication Januvia and an increased risk of suffering from pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer. Further investigation is ongoing to more fully understand a possible link between Januvia and pancreatic cancer.
Lead researcher at the Larry L HIllblom Islet Research Center at UCLA, Dr. Peter Butler stated that, “We have raised concern that there may be a link, but we haven’t confirmed it. We need to do more work to figure out whether this is real or not.”
Januvia functions by managing levels of blood sugar in the patient by inducing the production of glucagon-like peptide. Januvia is a new method of treating type 2 diabetes that claims to have advantages over more traditional diabetes medications. Because it is a new drug, however, researchers admit that they don’t understand Januvia as comprehensively as medications that have been on the market for longer.
When researchers compared Januvia to other medications used to treat type 2 diabetes, they discovered that it is as much as six times as likely to cause pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) associated with patients who take Januvia. Further, researchers discovered an increase of more than 2.5 times as likely to develop pancreatic cancer among those who take Januvia.
Similar Januvia pancreas studies showed increases of pancreatitis and cancer among rats tested back in 2009 with Januvia. Researchers point out that a long-used drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, Metformin may actually reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer. Metformin has been around for much longer and is better understood by doctors.
Many doctors suggest prescribing alternative medications for patients who may have a higher risk profile for pancreatic cancer such as metformin, insulin or even Avandia and Actos. This is a difficult decision because Actos and Avandia have recently been associated with other forms of cancer and heart disease themselves. Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration has taken Avandia off the shelves at pharmacies and described a potential link between Actos and bladder cancer.
At this time, the manufacturers of Januvia are denying any proof that Januvia causes pancreatic cancer among patients. This denial of culpability or liability could prove to be important if further proof is unveiled. It is certainly frustrated for those patients who have developed pancreatic cancer after taking Januvia to see the manufacturers adamantly denying any responsibility.
Januvia Pancreatic Cancer Lawsuit
If you or a loved one has taken Januvia for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and has subsequently developed pancreatic cancer, you are not alone. You may be entitled to financial compensation from the manufacturers through a Januvia Pancreatic Cancer Lawsuit against the makers of the potentially harmful drug. There is reason to believe that the manufacturer knew or should have known about these potential Januvia pancreatic cancer risks. Please call one of our pharmaceutical liability lawyers today for a free consultation regarding your Januvia Lawsuit. All Januvia lawsuits are processed on a contingency fee basis, which means that you don’t pay anything unless your case is successful.