Two more out-of-state men have joined the growing list of patients who claim a Deerfield drug company knowingly manufactured and distributed a drug that causes bladder cancer.
Mark Pfafflin and Paul Croese filed a lawsuit May 31 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America Inc.,Takeda Global Research & Development Center Inc., Takeda Pharmaceuticals LLC, Takeda San Diego Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Inc.
Pfafflin, who lives in California, and Croese, a New York resident, say they were prescribed the diabetes drug Pioglitazone by their physicians. According to the complaint, the drug is marketed and sold under the names Actos, Actoplus Met, Actoplus Met XR and Duetact. After taking the medication for a period of time, both patients allegedly developed medical problems with their bladder and urinary systems, including bladder cancer.
According to the lawsuit, Actos was designed, tested and distributed as a treatment for Type II diabetes. Pfafflin and Croese contend the manufacturers knew the drug could cause serious bladder and urinary issues. They accuse the defendants of negligence, claiming they were deceptive in distributing a drug that could lead to life-threatening illness, failing to adequately monitor the long term effects of the drug and failing to warn its customers about the risks.
Pfafflin and Croese ask for more than $1.75 million in damages for medical expenses and court costs.
They are represented by attorney John J. Driscoll of St. Louis who is representing dozens of clients in identical cases already filed in St. Clair County against Takeda Pharmaceuticals.
St. Clair County Circuit Court Case No. 13-L-274.