As one of only a few FDA-approved drugs that can help regulate insulin production after eating in individuals with Type 2 diabetes, Onglyza has served a crucially important purpose for millions of people over the past several years. However, recent studies have shown that the use of this medication is correlated with a substantial increase in heart failure risk—a side effect that Onglyza manufacturer AstraZeneca failed to properly notify consumers about even after the FDA expressed concern over this potentially dangerous side effect.
Anyone who experienced heart problems that were directly connected to the use of Onglyza may have options for legal action against AstraZeneca that a mass torts attorney could help them explore. By working with a dedicated Onglyza lawyer on your case, you could substantially improve your odds of a favorable resolution, and accordingly of getting the compensation you deserve.
Also known by the chemical name of saxagliptin, Onglyza is one of several DPP-4 inhibitor drugs that intended to lessen the impact of Type 2 diabetes by reducing glucose levels in those who take it. A similar product sold as Kombiglyze XR contains a mix of saxagliptin and metformin HCI meant to serve largely the same purpose.
However, a 2013 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine indicated a potential link between saxagliptin and heart problems. In light of that study, the Food and Drug Administration undertook an investigation of their own, and in 2015 concluded that patients taking saxagliptin had a 27 percent greater risk of being hospitalized because of heart failure than individuals who did not take the drug, assuming no preexisting heart conditions.
Unfortunately, despite a previous FDA recommendation in 2008 that manufacturers of drugs meant to treat Type 2 diabetes take extra care to examine potential cardiovascular risks associated with their products, AstraZeneca failed to notify consumers of this possible side effect for several years, even waiting under after the drug was approved to perform testing for this kind of effect at all. As a result, hundreds or even thousands of Onglyza users may have put themselves at increased risk of heart failure without any idea that this side effect was possible.
When a drug manufacturer causes harm to consumers by failing to disclose and/or properly research possible side effects and contraindications of a medication, that company may bear civil liability for ensuing losses stemming from that unreasonably dangerous drug. Sadly, since Onglyza has the potential to substantially inhibit cardiovascular function, this particular instance of manufacturer neglect may have life-threatening consequences.
With assistance from a capable Onglyza lawyer, it may be possible to achieve restitution for both economic and non-economic repercussions of AstraZeneca’s irresponsibility, including additional medical expenses, lost enjoyment of life, lost capacity to earn income, and physical pain and suffering. Additionally, if this undisclosed side effect led directly to someone’s premature death, that person’s surviving family may have grounds to pursue wrongful death litigation in their loved one’s name.
Onglyza has been a vital medication for many people suffering from Type 2 diabetes, but it also has serious risks that its manufacturer did not fully disclose as they should have. To make matters worse, pursuing litigation against a corporation as large as AstraZeneca can be next to impossible for individual patients without skilled legal representation, despite how dramatically this company’s behavior may have changed their life.
Fortunately, the assistance you might need to effectively protect your rights is just a phone call and a confidential consultation away. Contact an Onglyza lawyer today to discuss your legal options.
