Dr. Helen Ge, a medical doctor and former safety consultant for Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, recently blew the lid on the company after they failed to properly disclose evidence that linked use of Actos to an increased risk of bladder cancer. Dr. Ge knew of the connection but when she tried to report it, company officials resisted and downplayed the number. More than 100 bladder cancers were linked to the use of Actos, but only 72 were reported to the FDA. Not only did Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. fail to disclose an accurate number of bladder cancers related to the usage of Actos, they also failed to accurately report to regulators and proper officials about the hundreds of congestive heart failure cases that were associated with taking the drug.
At all turns, Dr. Ge claims, she encountered resistance from superiors when she attempted to report the truth about the potentially deadly side effects that could result from taking Actos. She was forced to underreport or purposely change her assessments, and ultimately, her contract with the pharmaceutical company was terminated.
As Dr. Ge states, “Takeda’s motivation to fraudulently report and under-report the serious adverse events was driven by an economic desire to falsely enhance Actos’s safety profile and to increase sales.” Unfortunately, this has been true for various pharmaceutical companies whose products have similarly endangered the lives of millions of consumers. Patients should feel confident that the medication they are being prescribed will not potentially disable or kill them. If you or a loved one has been prescribed Actos and later developed bladder cancer or congestive heart failure, the attorneys at Fears | Nachawati are here to speak to you about your legal rights and any potential monetary compensation you may be entitled to. Call us at 1.866.705.7584 or email Majed Nachawati at mn@fnlawfirm.com to discuss your potential Actos claim.