Recently, an ingredient in Duetact®, a popular Type-II diabetes drug, has been found to be associated with an increased risk for bladder cancer.  While another research team (Piccinni et al, 2011) published a report linking pioglitazone to bladder cancer, this report, titled “Mortality and Other Important Diabetes-Related Outcomes With Insulin vs Other Antihyperglycemic Therapies in Type 2 Diabetes” demonstrates an association between use of sulfonylurea, another ingredient in Duetact® and the development of cancer, and was published by Craig J. Currie et al in 2013.

“This was a retrospective cohort study using data from the UK General Practice Research Database, 2000-2010,” which means that Currie et al. accessed a large database of medical records and sorted through thousands of medical histories to find and compile a list of previously-reported cases of patients who developed cancer or another ailment after having used sulfonylurea.  Using this method, Currie et al. found 84,622 patients with Type-II diabetes, using a range of diabetes drugs and drug combinations: “metformin monotherapy, sulfonylurea monotherapy, insulin monotherapy, metformin plus sulfonylurea combination therapy, and insulin plus metformin combination therapy”[1].  To evaluate the safety of each of these drugs and drug combinations, Currie et al. measured the relative risk for first-time major cardiac event, first cancer, and mortality.[2]

Statistical analysis showed that users of sulfonylurea were about 1.4 times as likely to develop cancer than were users of other medications, and that insulin monotherapy dramatically increased the risk for major cardiac events, and all-cause mortality.[3]

Despite these warnings, the manufacturer of Duetact® (Tadaka Pharmaceuticals) still continues to use sulfonylurea in Duetact® and continues to downplay the risk for cancer caused by the use of its product.  As a result, a number of Duetact® cancer lawsuits are currently being filed around the country.  If you used Duetact and developed cancer, please do not hesitate to contact our team of Duetact® lawyers for a free case consultation.

At your convenience, you may reach our offices by phone at (855) 452-5529 or by e-mail at justinian@dangerousdrugs.us.  We have the experience, resources, and skills required to fight even the largest pharmaceutical companies for the justice you deserve.  Call today and see how we can help.

Our Duetact Lawsuit Information page is great place to start if you have additional questions about Duetact.


[1] Currie, C. et al. “Mortality and Other Important Diabetes-Related Outcomes With Insulin vs Other Antihyperglycemic Therapies in Type 2 Diabetes” Endocrinol Metab 98:668-677, 2013

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.