People with type 2 diabetes taking the drugs Januvia or Byetta might have an increased risk of developing pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Our law firm is handling lawsuits on behalf of patients who were taking Januvia, Janumet, or Byetta.
We can all agree that these drugs are good at fighting diabetes, which is an awful disease. But there are a lot of drugs that fight diabetes. These drugs might be a little cheaper than some. But the problem with Januvia is that if it impacts the pancreas in a way that can cause it serious injury like pancreatitis, and even more seriously, pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer occurs when cancerous cells form in the tissues of the pancreas. The majority of pancreatic cancers start in what is called exocrine cells.
I like to be optimistic about everything and there are many, many patients who survive pancreatic cancer, particularly when it is caught early, and surgery comes quickly. (The most common is the “Whipple procedure” that has saved and greatly extended many lives. But there is no question that cancer of the pancreas is a challenging form of cancer that is difficult to control.
Users of the diabetic drug Januvia are 170% more likely – according to a 2011 UCLA study – to develop pancreatic cancer than users of other diabetic drugs. For more information, see our main Januvia and Janumet Diabetes Drug Website.
Potential Settlement Possibilities Moving Forward
The history of the Januvia/Janumet/Byetta lawsuits is that these claims began with many attorneys pushing for pancreatitis cases. Frankly, these cases were not very successful for lots of reasons in spite of the obvious: these drugs cause pancreatitis. But many plaintiffs’ lawyers now believe that the cancer of the pancreas cases will have significant settlement value as these cases progress. Many of these cases are so tragic… the damages are very clear. Now, with these new studies, it seems that the link between Januvia, Janumet, and Byetta is also pretty clear.
If you or a loved one suffers or suffered from pancreatic cancer while on Januvia, call 888-322-3010 or get a free on-line consultation here.