Articles Posted in Invokana

July 20, 2020

Invokana, Invokamet and Invokamet XR lawsuits

We all take our healthcare extremely seriously. We carefully evaluate the risks and benefits of taking new medications and would not take medication that would put us unnecessarily at risk. Some risks are inevitable, but it is our right to be able to weigh those risks and make the best decision for ourselves and our own bodies. But what if risks are being hidden from us? What if we can’t actually make a well-informed decision? These questions have become relevant in a recent string of lawsuits involving Janssen Pharmaceuticals.

Invokana, Invokamet, and Invokamet XR are all used to treat type 2 diabetes and have since been linked to diabetic ketoacidosis and forced lower body amputations. The drug is a combination canagliflozin and metformin. Invokana was released by Janssen Pharmaceuticals and was approved by the FDA in 2013. Soon after patients began experiencing these potentially fatal side effects, leading to more clinical trials and legal claims against the pharmaceutical company.

Type 2 diabetes alters the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar. People diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have a ten-year shorter life expectancy, and an increased risk of heart disease, strokes, and lower body amputations. Independent studies on Invokana have linked the drug to further aggravating conditions such as bone fractures, diabetic ketoacidosis, heart attacks, kidney failure, and lower body amputations. Many of these were never listed as side effects on the drug label. The FDA eventually issued a black box warning, the strongest warning the FDA has the authority to issue. Doctors rushed to switch their patients’ medications after they learned of the risk, but for some it was too late. Injuries linked to the drug’s use has since led to defective drug lawsuits, alleging that the company actively concealed knowledge of the risks to the public. Janssen has still not pulled the drug from the market.

Here is a more detailed list of common serious side effects of Invokana and related drugs:

Lower-Body Amputation: Clinical trials indicate that amputations were twice as likely for those taking the drug, and even higher for patients who had a previous amputation. Early signs of this include infections, pain, soreness, and tenderness in lower limbs.
Ketoacidosis: Ketoacidosis develops when the body is unable produce sufficient insulin, forcing the body to break down fat as an alternative and generating ketones. Too many ketones in the blood can lead to comas or death.
Fournier’s Gengrene: Invokana’s use of SLGT-2 inhibitors has been linked to these flesh-eating bacteria, more common in men. It affects the genitals and leads to tissue decay. If untreated this can be fatal. Note that the risk of Fournier’s is lower than the risk of amputations and ketoacidosis.

The FDA recommends that you contact your physician if you have taken Invokana, Invokamet or Invokamet XR and you have developed unusual pain in your lower body or other strange symptoms. It has stated that you should not stop taking the drug without conferring with your health care professional.

These suits can be filed individually or as part of a class action. We can help you determine the best way to proceed with your claim against Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Continue reading

July 17, 2018

Five of the Most Dangerous Prescription Drugs on the Market Today

by Altman & Altman

Pharmaceutical companies develop, test, market and sell prescription medications that are supposed to treat a litany of medical conditions, from asthma and acne to heart disease and high blood pressure. Pharmaceutical companies are phenomenal at marketing and selling their products, but what about testing? All drugs have unintended side effects, but some can be life-threatening. Without proper testing, medications often enter the market carrying excessive, and unknown (at least to the general public) risks. Below are five such prescription medications, and information about victims’ lawsuits.

Invokamet

More than 28 million Americans have type 2 diabetes. Many are suffering from risks associated with this disease, including blindness, kidney failure, and neurological damage. A medication used to treat type 2 diabetes, Invokamet, helps these patients manage insulin levels by regulating the liver’s glucose production. Unfortunately, Invokamet is linked to multiple health issues, from bone fractures to ketoacidosis, a potentially life-threatening condition characterized by excessive amounts of acid in the blood.

Onglyza

Also for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, Onglyza has its own set of serious health risks. In fact, the FDA recently warned that Onglyza, and other drugs in this class, increase the risk of heart failure and could cause death. A Boston drug injury lawyer can help you determine how to proceed if you’ve been harmed by a dangerous or defective medication.

Xarelto

Marketed aggressively as a low-maintenance alternative to warfarin, the anticoagulant (blood thinner) Xarelto quickly grew in popularity when it hit the market. Although all blood thinners carry an increased risk of excessive bleeding, Xarelto’s predecessor warfarin has an antidote. To date, no antidote exists to stop excessive bleeding caused by Xarelto. As a result, thousands have been seriously injured, some fatally. Xarelto manufacturers, Janssen and Bayer, are facing mounting lawsuits from patients who claim they were never warned of these life-threatening side effects.

Zofran

Originally developed to treat nausea in chemotherapy patients, Zofran soon gained popularity with moms-to-be who were suffering from morning sickness. Unfortunately, the drug was never approved for use in pregnant women, and serious birth defects occurred as a result. Nearly 500 lawsuits are pending in federal court against Zofran’s manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline. A MA drug injury lawyer can help you recover damages if you’ve been injured by a dangerous or defective prescription drug.

Risperdal

Young men who use Risperdal to treat emotional and cognitive disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism, may develop a painful—and embarrassing—condition known as gynecomastia. In layman’s terms, this antipsychotic drug can cause breast enlargement in young men. Even though Risperdal’s manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson, knew about this risk, it failed to warn patients. Making matters worse, the drug was never approved for adolescent use. In addition to painful procedures to remedy this condition, many young men suffer severe emotional trauma as a result of their breast development. A Philadelphia jury recently awarded $70 million to one such victim. Continue reading

October 6, 2017

Invokana Lawsuit Update

by Altman & Altman

Invokana is a prescription medication used to control blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. The drug works with the kidneys to eliminate excess blood sugar through the passing of urine. Although effective at reducing glucose from the bloodstream, Invokana has been linked to several life-threatening medical conditions. As such, the drug’s manufacturer, Janssen Pharmaceutical, is facing an onslaught of product liability lawsuits, alleging that the company knew about the risk of health complications and failed to adequately warn the public.

Invokana is linked to multiple side effects, but the most serious are kidney failure and a condition called ketoacidosis. A potentially-deadly complication that can cause the brain to swell, ketoacidosis occurs when there is a buildup of toxic acids – called ketones – in the bloodstream. Despite all of these risks, Janssen Pharmaceutical, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, netted nearly $1 billion in profits from Invokana last year.

Invokana Lawsuits Consolidated in NJ Federal Court

The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPMDL) transferred nearly 100 Invokana lawsuits from throughout the country to New Jersey federal court. New Jersey was selected because Janssen Pharmaceuticals is headquartered in that state. There were also 37 cases already filed in NJ. A Boston drug injury lawyer can help you determine how to proceed if you’ve been injured by a defective or dangerous drug

Lawsuits allege that Invokana caused ketoacidosis and kidney damage, as well as blood clots, strokes, and other cardiovascular problems. Although the FDA approved the drug in 2013, the risk of ketoacidosis wasn’t added to the warning label until 2015. Unfortunately, the warning came too late for some. And even now, with the updated warning label, Invokana continues to harm patients. In 2015, the FDA issued a warning that the drug could turn mild urinary tract infections into potentially-fatal infections of the blood and kidneys. And in 2016, the FDA warned that Invokana may cause acute pancreatitis.

Invokana lawsuits have been piling up for several years now. One of those lawsuits (Maddox v. Janssen Pharmaceuticals), alleges that Invokana patients “have suffered and may continue to suffer severe and permanent personal injuries, including diabetic ketoacidosis, stroke, heart attack, and severe kidney damage.” A MA drug injury lawyer can help you recover damages if you’ve been injured by a defective or dangerous drug.

Symptoms of Ketoacidosis

If you are currently taking Invokana, it may be wise to learn the symptoms of ketoacidosis. Left untreated, this condition can be fatal. If you develop any of the following symptoms, contact your health care provider immediately:

Breathing problems
Extreme fatigue
Chronic headache
Fruity breath
Nausea or vomiting
Flushed face
Confusion
Pain in the abdomen

If you are taking Invokana, or have taken the drug in the past, consider talking to your physician about potential risks. When it comes to such serious side effects, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Continue reading

June 28, 2017

Which Pharmaceutical Companies are Facing the Most Lawsuits?

by Altman & Altman

Many people assume that prescription drugs and medical devices are always tested before they hit the shelves. Unfortunately, this is not always true. In many cases, the FDA may approve a new drug if it has the same mechanism of action, form and strength as an existing drug that has already been approved. Sometimes the drug proves just as safe as its predecessor…but not always. The same can be said for medical devices that haven’t been tested properly, or for an adequate period of time. Read on for more information about dangerous and defective prescription drugs, and how you can avoid the risk of serious injury or death.

The Top Offenders

Fluoroquinolones are the nation’s most commonly used type of antibiotic; about 33 million people take these drugs annually. Unfortunately, fluoroquinolones may cause multiple serious medical conditions, including peripheral neuropathy, a potentially-permanent form of nerve damage. Cipro, Avelox and Levaquin are the most popular of the fluoroquinolones on the market today. The manufacturers of these drugs – Merck, Johnson & Johnson, and Bayer – are facing a tidal wave of lawsuits from patients who say they weren’t adequately warned about the associated risks. In addition to peripheral neuropathy, fluoroquinolones are linked to aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection, which combined cause approximately 15,000 deaths annually in the United States.
Anticoagulants are blood-thinning medications used to treat a number of disorders, including atrial fibrillation and deep vein thrombosis. Up until recently, warfarin was the only treatment option. In 2011, Xarelto was introduced as a lower-maintenance alternative, and it quickly grew in popularity along with Pradaxa and Eliquis. Patients being treated with the new drugs have the same risk of excessive and uncontrollable bleeding as those who take warfarin, but with one major difference. There is an antidote for excessive bleeding caused by warfarin. No such antidote exists for Xarelto. As such, the drug’s manufacturers, Bayer and Janssen (a division of Johnson & Johnson), are at the center of thousands of lawsuits claiming serious injury and death. A Boston drug injury lawyer can help you determine how to proceed if you’ve been injured by a dangerous or defective drug.
Antipsychotics are prescribed by doctors to treat conditions such as schizophrenia, PTSD, and bipolar disorder. However, some antipsychotic medications have recently been linked to disturbing side effects, such as sexual promiscuity, excessive gambling, and breast development in males. Ability’s manufacturers, Otsuka and Bristol-Myers Squibb, are facing a growing number of lawsuits from patients who claim they couldn’t control the urge to gamble or over-eat, or that they developed hyper sexual behaviors. Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against Risperdal’s manufacturer, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, alleging that the drug caused young men to develop breasts, a condition known as gynecomastia.
Patients with type 2 diabetes need help regulating their blood sugar levels. Invokana is a popular and effective medication for lowering blood sugar and improving glycemic control for these patients. Unfortunately, it’s also linked to several life-threatening medical conditions. The most serious conditions associated with Invokana use are kidney failure, amputations, and a potentially-fatal condition called Ketoacidosis. As a result, Invokana’s manufacturer, Janssen, is facing multiple lawsuits alleging that the company failed to warn physicians and patients of the serious side effects linked to its drug. A MA drug injury lawyer can help you determine how to recover damages if you’ve been injured by a dangerous or defective drug.

If you are currently taking any of these drugs, it is in your best interest to discuss the risks with your physician. Continue reading