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JANUVIA, BYETTA & Pancreatic Cancer

Diabetes Drugs Januvia and Byetta May Be Linked to Increased Risk of Pancreatic Cancer

Diabetes is a debilitating disease that has to be carefully managed to prevent the development of even more serious health complications. Successful treatment requires close cooperation with your doctor, whom you trust to give you the best advice for managing your health.

You certainly don’t expect that drugs promising to save your life and improve your health may actually increase your chances of developing life-threatening diseases. In many cases, your doctor may have recommended these drugs without knowing of their potentially fatal consequences.

The popular diabetes drugs Januvia and Byetta have been taken by millions of people around the world, yet recent research has shown that they may be linked to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, and that Byetta may be linked to an increased risk of thyroid cancer.

The Facts: Januvia (Sitagliptin) and Byetta (Exenatide)

Byetta (exenatide) is an injectable drug manufactured and marketed by Eli Lilly & Co. and Amylin Pharmaceuticals to treat Type 2 Diabetes. It was granted FDA approval in 2005.
Januvia (sitagliptin) is an oral drug manufactured by Merck & Co. to also treat Type 2 Diabetes. It was granted FDA approval in 2006.
Januvia and Byetta both work to control blood-sugar levels by encouraging production of a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1).
In 2007, the FDA issued a public health alert warning that Byetta had been linked to approximately 30 cases of serious side effects, including pancreatic problems.
A study published in the 2009 issue of Diabetes found an increase in pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) in rats whose GLP-1 levels were raised (the chief function of Byetta and Januvia).
A 2011 study published in the journal Gastroenterology found that patients taking Januvia or Byetta were six times more likely than those taking other treatments to develop pancreatitis and were almost 3 times more likely to develop pancreatic cancer.
The Gastroenterology study also found a possible link between Byetta and thyroid cancer.

Januvia and Byetta Side Effects

The 2011 Gastroenterology study looked at information from the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System from 2004-2009. Researchers compared those cases to patients who were getting other treatments for their Type 2 Diabetes and found that Januvia and Byetta were linked to a nearly sixfold increase in the incidence of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).

There were 2.9 times more reported cases of pancreatic cancer in patients taking Byetta, and 2.7 more reported cases in patients taking Januvia.

However, doctors and researchers insist that the data is imperfect, as it relies solely on reported cases and there may be gaps in reporting.

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer may include:

•   Pain in the upper abdomen or upper back
•   Loss of appetite
•   Nausea or vomiting
•   Weakness
•   Fatigue
•   Chills
•   Cramping
•   Abdominal distention
•   Unexplained weight loss
•   Itchiness
•   Jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin)

Patients who are taking Januvia or Byetta and who experience these symptoms should contact their doctors.

North Carolina Januvia and Byetta Lawyers

If you took Januvia or Byetta and believe you experienced serious side effects or health complications as a result, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Call the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin at 1-866-844-4262, fill out our contact form to the right or chat now with one of our representative to find out if a North Carolina Januvia and Byetta lawyer may be able to help.

We offer a free, no-obligation evaluation of your case, and we have representatives available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist you. Our lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis, which means that if we don’t recover any compensation for you, we don’t receive an attorney’s fee. There is no obligation to see if we can help – call us today or click on our live chat feature to talk with a representative.