The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has linked Merck & Company's Type 2 diabetes drug, Januvia, to acute pancreatitis – including fatal and non-fatal hemorrhagic or necrotizing pancreatitis – and reported that 21% of those who suffered a pancreatitis injury started taking Januvia only 30 days prior.
Januvia lawsuits likely
The FDA has received reports of cutaneous vasulitis, acute pancreatitis and both fatal and non-fatal hemorrhagic and necrotizing pancreatitis from patients taking Januvia (sitagliptin) and Janumet (sitagliptin/metformin) – a new class of diabetic drugs called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, which were approved as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Product liability lawyers say that many Januvia lawsuits are likely and urge patients to see their doctors if they experience Januvia side effects such as sweating, shaking, severe hunger, dizziness, cold sweats, blurred vision, changes in mood, loss of balance, difficulty speaking, confusion, seizures, respiratory infections, sore throat, nausea, diarrhea, headaches and stomach pains.
FDA reports alarming statistics
Manufactured by pharmaceutical giant Merck & Company, Januvia and Janumet were approved by the FDA in 2006 and 2007 respectively. However, the FDA started receiving reports of pancreatitis from patients taking the drugs soon afterward.
In fact, between October 2006 and February 2009, the FDA reported that it had reviewed 88 cases of patients who developed severe forms of pancreatitis such as hemorrhagic pancreatitis – which is an inflammation of the pancreas that is accompanied by bleeding) and necrotizing pancreatitis – a condition in which the inflamed pancreas destroys itself.
Of those 88 cases, the FDA found that injuries in 19 of those patients (or 21%) occurred within only 30 days of starting the drugs and that symptoms in 47 of those patients (or 53%) were resolved once Januvia or Janumet use was discontinued. So far, the FDA has issued two advisories about the safety of these drugs – one in September 2009 and the another in December 2009 – warning patients about the increased risks of injury.
Januvia lawsuit
Damage to the pancreas, which assists the body in digestion and releases insulin and glucagon, can be life threatening. If you've developed pancreatitis after taking Januvia, contact your doctor and a Januvia injury lawyer to discuss whether you might have a Januvia lawsuit against Merck & Company and assess the damages for which you may be entitled.