Actos Recall on the Horizon? More Bladder Cancer Studies

Is there an Actos recall in the future? No one knows. But the opinion that patients on Actos face a higher risk of developing bladder cancer is gaining currency.

Actos treats diabetes, an indisputably serious condition. So it is certainly acceptable that diabetes drugs – from a cost-benefit perspective – come with risk. But the question is whether there are unnecessary risks.

That might be where we are with Actos. Studies are piling up to suggest that Actos patients have a disproportionate risk of bladder cancer when compared to patients on other diabetes medications.

There are tea leaves for an Actos recall in the U.S. In Europe, Actos has been pulled from the market in France and Germany. So is it a fair question to ask: if Actos is too risky for European patients, why is it okay for U.S. patients? The logic of this question underscores that one way or the other, Actos’ days are likely numbered. If there is not a recall, I think doctors will eventually stop prescribing the drug.

Tell us about your experiences – good or bad – with Actos.