Victoza Pancreatic Cancer Lawsuit

Victoza (liraglutide) is a type of injectable drug that helps treat patients with chronic weight-loss failure. Unfortunately, some Victoza users have found themselves battling pancreatic cancer after their pancreas cells are damaged by the medication. This lawsuit is seeking to hold Merck responsible for the damage sustained on behalf of those who used this product and has grown into one of the largest cases filed in New Jersey history.

The “byetta lawsuit update 2021” is an ongoing lawsuit that has been in the news recently. The plaintiffs are suing Novo Nordisk for false advertising and negligence.

Victoza, an incretin mimetic medicine used to treat type 2 diabetes, is being sued for causing pancreatic cancer, according to the lawsuits.

Victoza isn’t the only incretin mimicking medicine connected to this potentially fatal adverse effect. Pancreatic cancer has also been related to the drugs Januvia, Janumet, and Byetta. In a multidistrict litigation (MDL) located in Southern California, Novo Nordisk, Merck & Co., Eli Lilly, and Amylin Pharmaceuticals are facing a total of 749 cases.  

If you or a loved one developed pancreatic cancer after using Victoza, you may be able to file a lawsuit against Novo Nordisk, the drug’s maker. For a free legal consultation, contact our lawyers.

Is Victoza linked to the development of pancreatic cancer?

Incretin mimetic medications help to control the synthesis of incretin, a hormone that helps the body release insulin.

Victoza does this by injecting patients with a chemical that mimics Glucagon-Like Peptide-1, a kind of incretin (GLP-1).

Researchers believe that this procedure may overstimulate the pancreas, causing pancreatic cells to grow in certain situations. When this happened, Dr. Peter Butler, a diabetes specialist at UCLA, observed a development of precancerous tumors in the pancreas.

More than 2,500 Victoza users have reported pancreatic adverse problems to the FDA. 

Patients on Januvia, a comparable medicine to Victoza, are 10 times more likely to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, according to the FDA’s adverse event database.

Beyond these findings, however, it is still unknown whether or not incretin mimetic medicines induce pancreatic cancer. The FDA requested that researchers look at the link further in 2013.

Patients continue to make complaints saying that their type 2 diabetes medication caused their pancreatic adverse effects as the medical community accumulates additional information.

The FDA has received more than 2,500 Victoza patient complaints indicating that the medicine produced pancreatic adverse effects. Pancreatitis, both acute and chronic, is claimed by the great majority (over 2,300). Other incretin mimics have been reported to have similar effects: Pancreatitis has been reported in over 2,400 Januvia patients and over 3,000 Byetta patients.

Patients with chronic pancreatitis (pancreatic inflammation) may be at a higher risk of getting pancreatic cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

Is it possible that Novo Nordisk lied to doctors about Victoza’s safety?

Whistleblowers said the business paid payments and had salespeople act as medical educators to mislead physicians about Victoza’s safety.

Novo Nordisk reached a $58.7 million settlement with the Department of Justice in September 2017. The sum includes $12.5 million in settlement payments for suspected violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. There was also $46.5 million set aside to satisfy whistleblower claims.

According to whistleblowers, the business lied to physicians about the safety of Victoza by paying bribes and having salespeople appear as medical educators.

According to a 2011 study, more than half of doctors were unaware of Victoza’s hazards. Novo Nordisk’s deceitful marketing techniques surely didn’t help matters.  

 

What Is the Status of the Victoza Lawsuits?

Judge Battaglia erred in his interpretation of federal preemption, according to the Ninth Circuit. 

The combined 749 incretin mimetic cases filed against Novo Nordisk, Merck & Co., and Eli Lilly & Co. in Southern California have been merged into one multi-district lawsuit (MDL). The medications are said to cause pancreatic cancer, according to the lawsuits, and the producers neglected to tell physicians and patients about the danger.

The continuing legal battle has had its fair share of drama. In 2015, Federal Judge Anthony Battaglia ruled in favor of the defendants in 744 failure-to-warn claims. The FDA would have blocked Novo Nordisk, Merck & Co., and Eli Lilly & Co. from including a pancreatic cancer warning on their medicine labels, they said, and because the FDA is a federal body, it overrides state laws.

Plaintiffs claimed in September 2016 that Judge Battaglia misread the federal preemption legislation. A Ninth Circuit judicial panel ruled in favor of plaintiffs in December 2017, claiming that Judge Battaglia misinterpreted the Supreme Court’s decision in Buckman Co. v. Plaintiffs’ Legal Committee, which states that private parties cannot bring state law tort claims alleging violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA).

Consumers alleged defendants breached the common law duty to warn, which is not covered by the FDCA, according to the panel. The panel’s decisions have given these cases fresh life.

What is the Purpose of Lawsuits?

The following are some of the allegations made in lawsuits:

  • Victoza raised the risk of pancreatic cancer in patients.
  • Victoza’s pancreatic cancer risk was not adequately communicated to patients by Novo Nordisk.
  • Novo Nordisk produced a faulty medication that resulted in “irrational and hazardous adverse effects.”
  • Novo Nordisk neglected to alert doctors about the dangers of Victoza.

Who Is Eligible to File a Lawsuit?

You may be able to launch a case against Novo Nordisk if you or a loved one took Victoza and were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2005 or later.

Byetta and Januvia are also named as defendants in Victoza’s multi-district case. These incretin mimics have been linked to the development of pancreatic cancer.

What Kinds of Damages Can a Lawsuit Recover?

After a major drug-related health event, a lawsuit may help individuals put their lives back together. A lawsuit may help you be compensated for:

  • Suffering and pain
  • Medical expenses
  • Earnings reduction (past and future)

Have you been told you have cancer? We’ll Fight to Protect You

It is your right to hold Novo Nordisk responsible if you or a loved one took Victoza and were subsequently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Several of our lawyers are leading national class actions against some of the world’s major pharmaceutical firms, including Novo Nordisk, Johnson & Johnson, Bayer, and others. In fact, our attorney Michael Goetz serves on the Victoza, Byetta, and Januvia multi-district lawsuit plaintiffs’ steering group.

For a free, no-obligation legal consultation, contact us now. You will never pay anything until we get a favorable decision or settlement on your behalf.

The “januvia lawsuit update 2021” is a legal case that has been going on since 2017. The plaintiff in the case is seeking damages for pancreatic cancer caused by taking a medication called Victoza.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Victoza taken off the market?

A: Victoza was taken off the market because of a large number of side effects, primarily cardiovascular conditions.

Is Victoza linked to cancer?

A: The answer to this question depends on who you ask. Victoza is a type of medication used for the treatment of diabetes, and it can cause an increased risk in tumorous cells if taken more than recommended or over long periods. However, there has been no conclusive evidence that points towards a definitive link between taking Victoza and the occurrence of cancerous cells as stated by some studies.

How does Victoza affect the pancreas?

A: Victoza affects the pancreas in a positive way. It is used to treat type 2 diabetes, and is the only drug approved by FDA for this purpose.

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