Plaintiff In Invokana Lawsuit Claims Drug Caused Ketoacidosis Side Effect

TheProductLawyers.com comments on a lawsuit filed by a diabetes patient who used Invokana, a new-generation, type-2 diabetes drug. The case has been filed in the Southern District Of Alabama against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson Corporation. The plaintiff claims that she developed diabetic ketoacidosis after beginning treatment with Invokana in December 2014 but was never informed about this risk when taking Invokana or other SGLT2 inhibitor class drugs. Her lawsuit alleges negligence on the part of Janssen Pharmaceuticals.

Additionally, the plaintiff is claiming in her court papers that the drug was not adequately studied and Janssen should have taken more time to fully explore the adverse side effects of the drug. She also alleges the drug was marketed as "off-label" meaning that despite it being approved as a treatment for type-2 diabetes, Janssen marketed the drug as a treatment for type-1 as well, which it was not approved for by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The plaintiff, in this case, suffered from type-1 diabetes.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a very serious and life-threatening condition, as it can cause diabetic coma or in the extreme case, death. It can develop very quickly, in as little as 24 hours. Ketoacidosis occurs when the bloodstream contains a surplus of toxic acid due to the presence of a high level of ketones.

The FDA issued a public safety communication related to this serious potential side effect and its alleged linkage to Invokana and other SGLT2 inhibitor drugs. Officials at the FDA have asked that diabetes patients using such medications to be very alert to the symptoms of the onset of ketoacidosis. Symptoms can consist of excessive thirst, frequent urination, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, fruity-scented breath, and confusion, as per the American Diabetes Association.

For more information about the Invokana lawsuits, or this press release, please contact TheProductLawyers.com on 888-997-3792.