Blue Cross and Takeda Pharmaceutical Settle Lawsuit

Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Takeda reached a settlement in a Massachusetts lawsuit involving dozens of claims that Takeda’s type 2 diabetes treatment Actos (pioglitazone hydrochloride) caused bladder cancer and that the pharmaceutical company was aware of the link.

In a short dismissal filed on Feb. 7, Judge Allison D. Burroughs announced that the case was dismissed without costs.

Patients are advised that taking Actos for longer than 12 months may increase their risk of developing bladder cancer.