Jury orders Takeda Pharma to pay $1.3 in Actos bladder cancer case

A Philadelphia jury ordered Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. to pay $1.3 million in punitive damages finding that Takeda acted with reckless indifference with regard to the plaintiff, who developed bladder cancer, allegedly due to the diabetes drug. The case is called Kristufek v. Takeda Pharmaceuticals America Inc., Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and the consolidated Actos case in Louisiana is In Re Actos (Pioglitazone) Products Liability Litigation, 11-md-02299, U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana (Lafayette).

The plaintiff, a retired 74-year-old teacher, developed bladder cancer allegedly due to his using Actos causing him to have to undergo surgery to remove his bladder. In fact, the jury found that Actos was a significant cause of the plaintiff’s bladder cancer and that his physicians were never appropriately warned of the drug’s risks, namely, the increased potential for developing bladder cancer.

Victims of bladder cancer that has been allegedly associated with the use of the diabetes drug, Actos, may be able to recover compensation for lost wages, medical and surgical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages.

Over 3,500 Actos lawsuits consolidated before U.S. District Judge Rebecca Doherty in Lafayette, Louisiana for pretrial discovery. An additional 4,500 cases have been filed in state courts in Illinois, West Virginia, California, and Pennsylvania, according to court records.

This is the fifth time Takeda has been hit with unfavorable compensatory verdicts.

Jeffrey Newman represents whistleblowers