Our Blogs

Will Invokana Injury Cases Be Centralized?

Our office has closely followed developments related to the diabetes drug Invokana. For more details on the medication and how it works, you can read a report under the Hot Topics section of our firm website. As we discuss on our website, Invokana is a relatively new diabetes drug manufactured by Johnson & Johnson. Yet, in just a few years on the market, the FDA has issued numerous safety communications about the drug.

  • Diabetic ketoacidosis.
  • Kidney damage.
  • Kidney failure.
  • Loss of bone density.
  • Potential amputations.
  • Heart concerns.

That’s a long list of potential reactions and injuries which may be linked to the drug. Since its inception, the FDA has required warning label updates in 2015 and 2016 related to diabetic ketoacidosis and potential kidney damage. We have been actively investigating potential claims of personal injury related to these conditions.

In the last year, a growing number of injured patients have filed lawsuits related to Invokana use in Federal courts across the United States. All these injury lawsuits allege the drug’s maker marketed Invokana as a good treatment for type 2 diabetes. Is Invokana a good treatment for diabetes? The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has questioned whether the risks of Invokana outweigh the potential benefits. And, ISMP raised those questions early in the marketing of this drug.

As the number of filed cases grows, the question becomes — will the pending lawsuits be consolidated for discovery in a multi-district litigation (MDL) proceeding? Our office has participated in numerous MDL proceedings related to other dangerous drugs and defective medical devices. We currently represent injured Alabama patients with claims involving a number of different defective products.

Recently, a group of injured patients with Invokana cases pending before a Federal court in New Jersey filed a motion with the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation (JPML) asking that all Federal court cases be consolidated before a Federal court in New Jersey. According to the motion filed last month, over 56 current Federal court lawsuits allege personal injury due to Invokana. We expect that number to grow much larger.

As more cases are filed, it is likely the claims will be consolidated into a MDL for pre-trial proceedings. Will this be a Federal court in New Jersey as requested by this group of injured plaintiffs? Maybe. Many of the pending cases were already filed in the Federal court in New Jersey. Also, the drug’s maker Johnson & Johnson is headquartered in New Jersey making it a convenient location for discovery, witnesses and other investigation. These two factors make that court a likely location for pre-trial proceedings.

We will continue to watch Invokana developments closely. In Alabama, diabetes is a major health concern. According to an Al.com article published just this month, 6 of the 10 most diabetic counties in the United States are here in Alabama. And, 17 out of the top 50 most diabetic counties are here in Alabama. While diabetes is a major health concern throughout the United States, it is a full-fledged crisis in Alabama. Major drug companies have rushed numerous drugs to market in an effort to profit over this crisis. Alabamians need good medicines. But, they don’t need dangerous drugs with risks greater than the benefits.

If you would like to read more about the history of Invokana, check out some of our earlier articles and posts. These include:

  1. Blackwell Law Firm website Hot Topics
  2. Blog Post (May 23, 2016) — How Dangerous Is Invokana?
  3. Blog Post (June 30, 2016) — Invokana Warnings Continue To Rise
  4. Blog Post (July 8, 2016) — Prominent Research Group Calls Invokana A Dangerous Gamble

If you or a loved one has questions about Invokana, please feel free to give us a call. We frequently represent Alabama consumers injured by dangerous drugs and defective medical devices.