Invokana Lawsuit
Everything You Need to Know About the Invokana Lawsuit
A diabetes drug called Invokana is the target of a new lawsuit that alleges the drug failed to disclose its health risks. Here’s everything you need to know about the Invokana lawsuit.
What is Invokana?
Invokana is a diabetes drug that acts as an SGLT2 inhibitor. It’s designed to be used in combination with diet and exercise to improve glycemic control and lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Invokana helps reduce your risk of serious diabetes problems. When left untreated, type 2 diabetes can lead to blindness, nerve damage, kidney failure, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and a wide range of other problems. People took Invokana to reduce their risk of these problems.
As an SGLT2 inhibitor, Invokana lowers your blood sugar by encouraging your kidneys to remove it through the urine.
The drug is also known as Invokamet.
What is the Story with the Invokana Lawsuit?
The drug is the subject of a new lawsuit. That lawsuit alleges that the manufacturers and marketers of Invokana (including Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., AstraZeneca, and Boehringer Ingelheim) failed to warn users of the side effects of the drug.
Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that the manufacturers did not warn people of the increased risks of kidney failure and heart attacks. Those who took Invokana allegedly experience a higher risk of myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) and kidney problems.
If physicians and patients were properly warned of these side effects, they could have taken action to reduce their risk: like getting more frequent checkups with their doctor, for example.
Is the Invokana Lawsuit a Class Action Lawsuit?
At this point, the Invokana lawsuit is not considered a class action suit. It’s unlikely that the litigation will proceed as a class action lawsuit in the future. However, some law firms are already combining their clients’ Invokana lawsuits into multi-district litigation (MDL).
In an MDL situation, each individual case is separate and each client can decide whether or not they want to go to trial. However, the discovery and research phases of the investigation are joined together for convenience and efficiency.
Invokana Side Effects
The lawsuit against Invokana alleges that the drug has some serious side effects. These side effects were not properly disclosed to physicians or users. There are three dangerous side effects allegedly linked to the use of Invokana, including:
Kidney Failure
Invokana allegedly leads to an increased risk of kidney failure. Kidney failure occurs when your kidneys cannot function without the use of a dialysis machine. Your kidneys filter waste from your blood, which is why kidney failure can lead to severe problems throughout the rest of your body.
Without properly-functioning kidneys, electrolytes will build up in your blood. You may experience weakness, shortness of breath, lethargy, abnormal heart rhythms, and in extreme cases, death. Those who experience kidney failure often undergo kidney transplants.
Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
When blood flow to our heart becomes restricted, certain cells in the heart will die. The heart cannot get the oxygen and nutrients it needs, which causes tissue within the heart to die.
Ketoacidosis
When your body produces high levels of ketones, you’re experiencing a medical condition called ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis can occur when the body cannot produce sufficient insulin.
How to Recognize Symptoms of Invokana-related Problems
If you’re currently taking Invokana, then it’s important for you to be able to spot the warning signs of some of the dangerous side effects listed above.
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms and are currently taking Invokana (or have taken Invokana in the past), then you should seek medical help immediately:
— Chest Pain
— Dizziness
— Fainting
— Quickened Heart Rate
— Difficulty Breathing
— Hyperventilation
— Weakness
— Nausea And Vomiting
— Abdominal Pain
— Fatigue Or Sleepiness
Certain groups of people are at a higher risk when taking Invokana. If you are already at risk for certain medical problems, then Invokana may exacerbate that risk. Those medical problems include kidney disease, liver disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, electrolyte imbalances, and high cholesterol.
You should also avoid using Invokana if you are on a low salt diet, or if you are currently using insulin or other oral diabetes medications.
Invokana Recalls
Invokana has not yet been recalled from store shelves. The investigation into the drug is still in its early stages. It’s unclear at this time whether or not the drug needs to be pulled from store shelves due to its health risks.
Recalls are a huge endeavor. It will take thousands of hours of attorney time and millions of dollars before researchers can determine whether or not Invokana needs to be recalled.
Nevertheless, the FDA has issued a safety announcement regarding Invokana and other SGLT2 inhibitors. That safety announcement urges Invokana users to watch out for signs of ketoacidosis and seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms like vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, or difficulty breathing.
Invokana Settlements
As of August 18, 2015, there have been no major Invokana settlements. As mentioned above, the investigation into Invokana is still in its early stages.
Settlements typically don’t occur in these situations until a few cases have made their way before a jury. At that point, the pharmaceutical company begins to understand the financial risk and can assess settlements based on that perceived risk.
Other Diabetes Medications Facing Lawsuits
Invokana is one of several major SGLT2 inhibitors that is the subject of a lawsuit. Other popular diabetes medications have also been shown to lead to an increased risk of kidney failure, heart attacks, and ketoacidosis, including:
— Farxiga
— Xigduo XR
— Jardiance
— Glyxambi
All of these drugs use active ingredients like canagliflozin, metformin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, or linagliptin to achieve their desired effects.
How to Launch your Own Invokana Lawsuit
If you want to launch your own Invokana lawsuit, then you’ll need a lawyer. Ideally, you want a lawyer who specializes in pharmaceutical litigation and is specifically advertising Invokana litigation as a service.
Law firms across America are trying to attract clients ready to pursue litigation against the manufacturers of Invokana. With a quick Google Search, you should easily be able to find a qualified Invokana lawyer in your area.
