Anti-diabetic medications such as Byetta and Januvia are taken by thousands of people across the country to help manage their diabetes. Recent reports and studies have linked these drugs to dangerous side effects that the manufacturers have failed to disclose to the public. As a result numerous lawsuits have been filed across the country for injuries associated with the use of these drugs.
As a result of the increasing number of cases, the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has ordered the establishment of a multidistrict litigation (MDL) to handle cases associated with anti-diabetic medications. These medications known as Byetta, Januvia, Janumet, and Victoza are taken for diabetes management. The currently pending cases against the manufacturers of these drugs allege that the drugs cause pancreatic cancer.
The MDL for these cases has been established in the Southern District of California and the cases are assigned to the Honorable Anthony J. Battaglia. The Southern District of California and Judge Battaglia were chosen for the MDL as the majority of the pending 53 cases that have been filed in Federal Court were filed in this district and Judge Battaglia has been overseeing ongoing discovery.
MDLs are centralized locations for all federal cases involving a particular form of litigation, such as a drug or medical device, regardless of the jurisdiction in which any individual case was originally filed or would be filed. The purpose is to make litigation easier for all parties, especially plaintiffs who can pool their resources and cooperate when suing large corporations. MDLs are beneficial as they eliminate duplicative discovery, prevent inconsistent pretrial ruling, and make the overall process more efficient.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer while taking Byetta or Januvia, you may be entitled to compensation. Please contact Lopez McHugh for a free evaluation.
