Due to a recent lawsuit filed by an Indiana woman who used the drug Metformin to treat Type 2 Diabetes, all people who used The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug may be entitled to compensation. If you think you may have been exposed to a carcinogen from using the drug designed to regulate blood sugar, you may have a claim to this suit. Here’s what you should know about the Metformin lawsuit.
What Is Metformin?
In the United States, Metformin is a type of medical drug used to regulate blood sugar in people with Type 2 Diabetes. It is popularly known by several brand names Glucophage, Riomet, Glumetza, Glucophage XR, and Fortamet. It is produced by manufacturers like Amneal, Granules Pharmaceuticals, Marksans and Apotex.
The class action lawsuit filed in Indiana asserts the drug contains higher than recommended levels of n-nitrosodimethylamine, a contaminant commonly known as NDMA.
Metformin isn’t the only defective drug facing potential legal challenges due to inclusion of NDMA. A popular heartburn medication, Zantac has this same carcinogen at low levels, according to the FDA, but even so, it may cause increased risk of certain cancers.
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Metformin Cancer Lawsuit
The probable human carcinogen in Metformin is said to cause tumors in the liver, lungs, kidneys and blood vessels in animal testing trials. Batches of Metformin, the diabetes drug, have been shown to put people at risk for these kinds of cancers, or so the lawsuit alleges.
While NDMAs are found in a wide range of consumer products from food and drink to Zantac and other OTC drugs made by well-known drugmakers, the levels of NDMAs in a product are what determine how dangerous it is. According to the FDA, the acceptable intake limit for a daily dose of NDMAs is under 0.096 nanograms. That amount or less is not considered dangerous.
In late 2019, the FDA first began releasing information to the public in the form of statements and press releases that discussed NDMAs in lots of Metformin, which at the time, was among the most popular diabetes drugs on the market. They released a statement in December of 2019 asserting:
“The FDA is aware that some metformin diabetes medicines in other countries were reported to have low levels of NDMA. Based on the information we have available, the levels of NDMA seen outside the U.S. are within the range that is naturally occurring in some foods and in water. While we are aware that some regulatory agencies outside the U.S. may be recalling some metformin drugs, there are no metformin recalls affecting the U.S. market at this time.”
In early 2020, another release from the FDA contained drug testing results that showed lower than dangerous levels of NDMAs spanning across numerous Metformin products, with only Lupin Phama’s brand of the medicine falling close to the dangerous range.
While the international community was putting first the safety of patients by recalling Metformin medication for months prior due to NDMA contamination, the FDA was running its own tests racing to publish contrary results that showed Metformin as a safe drug.
In March 2020, the online pharmacy Valisure discovered unsafe levels of NDMAs in many Metformin products, including release Metformin, in the United States and petitioned the FDA to recall the drug. The FDA did not respond publicly according to their self-issued timeline of press releases, as they had already conducted an internal review of the byproduct.
Then in April came the tort law class action suit out of Indiana against Granules USA, Inc., including language that suggested the drugs known as Metformin could cause certain types of cancer, like liver cancer, and Granules USA’s failure to recall the product presents gross negligence to consumers.
Like clockwork, the lawsuit forced the FDA to take another look at their finding, and in May they released this statement, urging a recall, according to their website:
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is announcing today that agency laboratory testing has revealed levels of the nitrosamine impurity N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) above the agency’s acceptable intake limit in several lots of the extended-release (ER) formulation of metformin, a prescription drug used to control high blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. The agency is in contact with five firms to recommend they voluntarily recall their products.”
Since the FDA asked companies to issue recalls on certain products many have, still many more consumers used the medication before then, thinking it was safe. For this reason, if you have a claim to the Metformin lawsuit, you may be entitled to compensation.
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Metformin Side Effects
In addition to potential exposure to the probable human carcinogen called nitrosamine, the diabetes medication, metformin hydrochloride, has many other side effects that healthcare providers should inform patients of before prescribing the drug to control blood sugar levels. These include:
- heartburn and indigestion
- stomach pain, nausea and/or vomiting
- gas and bloating
- intestinal distress
- weight loss
- headache
- copper taste in mouth
More serious side effects are:
- extreme fatigue
- bodily weakness
- decreased appetite
- nausea and vomiting
- difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- dizziness, lightheadedness and disorientation
- a fast or slow heart rate
- feeling cold
- muscle pain
- flushing, reddening and warmth of skin
- stomach pain concurrent with any of the other symptoms
Some of these symptoms overlap with symptoms of the cancers NDMAs are likely to produce. If you experience symptoms after taking any medication with NDMAs, call your doctor.
Metformin Lawsuit Attorneys Serving The U.S.
Even though there is little active litigation involving Metformin, you may still be entitled to a case. If you’ve taken Metformin and developed bladder cancer or other severe side effects, consult with an attorney to help you determine if taking legal action is possible and in your best interest.
At Florin|Roebig, our top-rated dangerous drug and Metformin lawsuit attorneys include:
- Wil H. Florin, B.C.S.
- Tommy D. Roebig, B.C.S.
- Shaun M. Cummings
- Luca G. Esposito
- Chad K. Florin, M.B.A., LL.M.
- Nicholas S. Costantino
- Jordan A. Kolinski
- Matthew L. McMullen
- Michael A. Ossi, O.C.
- Lawrence J. Najem, O.C.
- Andrew M. Leone, O.C.
- Nollys R. Solarte, O.C.
- Brian R. Dettman, O.C.
With over 30 years of experience, our law firm has successfully won over $1 billion in settlements from personal injury cases by providing our clients with high-quality legal representation.
Florin|Roebig Metformin Attorneys
Did you have a bad reaction to Merformin? The law firm of Florin|Roebig can help you receive settlement. Don’t fall victim to the disclaimer on a bottle of prescription drug, Metformin products may have cancer-causing carcinogens.
If you prescribed metformin products with high levels of NDMA contaminant, the law office of Florin|Roebig, PA, can help you determine if being included in a class action suit is right for you.
Call Florin|Roebig for a free consultation if you or a loved one has a claim to the Metformin lawsuit.
We respect the attorney client relationship and offer expert advice on the Metformin class action suit. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is announcing today that agency laboratory testing has revealed levels of the nitrosamine impurity N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) above the agency’s acceptable intake limit in several lots of the extended-release (ER) formulation of metformin, a prescription drug used to control high blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. The agency is in contact with five firms to recommend they voluntarily recall their products.
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