As we have previously reported, safety concerns regarding incretin mimetics such Byetta, Januvia/Janumet and Victoza, have lead to hundreds of lawsuits being filed across the country. Reports suggest that people taking the medications, Januvia and/or Byetta, for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes may be at an increased risk to develop pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer.

The United States Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation (MDL) is scheduled to meet on Thursday, July 25, 2013, in Portland, Maine, to hear arguments to decide whether the cases, known as IN RE: INCRETIN MIMETICS PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION, should be given MDL treatment. Granting MDL treatment will consolidate all federal lawsuits filed across the U.S. into one centralized district. This consolidation will streamline the pretrial discovery process, allowing the parties to avoid duplicative discovery and inconsistent rulings from different judges.

If granted, the MDL will likely be venued in the Southern District of California where Judge Anthony J. Battaglia is already overseeing a number of these cases. Plaintiffs have alleged that the manufacturers knew of the cancer risk associated with the incretin mimetics, but failed to disclose it to the medical community and/or consumers. It is expected that there could eventually be thousands of plaintiffs nationwide.

If you or a loved one have suffered from pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer after taking Byetta, Januvia/Janumet or Victoza, you can contact Stark & Stark and speak to one of the Mass Tort/Pharmaceutical Litigation attorneys, free of charge, who can help assess any potential claims.