Actos, one of the best-selling drugs for type 2 diabetes, has come under increasing scrutiny as an allegedly dangerous drug. In September of 2010, the FDA announced it had begun a safety review after a study from Kaiser Permanente (health insurance plan) demonstrated an increased risk of bladder cancer as dose and duration increased.

A study commissioned by the French government followed 1.5 million patients over four years and found a higher risk of bladder cancer among those who took the drug the longest. Regulators in France and Germany have suspended sale of the drug.

In June of this year the FDA issued another safety alert in which it said the risk of bladder cancer increased after one year of use.

Numerous lawsuits are now pending across the nation against Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly.

About Bladder Cancer: Most bladder cancer cases are diagnosed at an early stage. The symptoms may include blood in the urine, frequent or painful urination, urinary tract infections, abdominal pain and back pain. When diagnosed early bladder cancer is quite treatable, however, it is likely to return so survivors must undergo follow-up testing for years after treatment.

The fear of reoccurrence of cancer has been noted in lawsuits by former users of Actos.

Source: News Inferno: "New York Lawsuit Alleges Long-Term Use of Actos Caused Bladder Cancer," September 2, 2011.