Metformin Class Action Lawsuit
GoldenbergLaw is no longer accepting new Metformin cases
Our Minnesota Cancer Attorneys are working on a number of litigations where individuals have been diagnosed with cancer after exposure to defective drugs or defective products. For information on these practice areas, please follow the links below.
In March 2020, the online pharmacy Valisure announced it found high levels of the probable human carcinogen NDMA in the popular type-2 diabetes drug metformin.
Exposure to NDMA over prolonged periods of time or in high and concentrated doses can cause a variety of types of cancer.
Valisure has since filed a Citizen Petition with the the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting the agency recall the contaminated batches of metformin.
In May 2020, the FDA announced its testing had also found high levels of NDMA in certain batches of metformin.
Case Quick Facts
On December 5, 2019, the FDA issued a statement announcing it was investigating the presence of possible carcinogens in metformin. The FDA statement came a day after Singapore’s national health agency issued a recall of three metformin medications due to NDMA contamination. Multiple global health agencies, including Health Canada and the European Medicine Agency, announced similar probes investigating potential carcinogen contamination of metformin medications distributed worldwide.
Two months later, the FDA announced it found trace levels of NDMA contamination in metformin products but that those levels did not exceed the acceptable daily intake limit of 96 nanograms.
On March 2, 2020, the online pharmacy Valisure announced it had found unacceptably high levels of NDMA in 16 out of the 38 batches of metformin it tested. The contaminated batches were manufactured by 11 different drug companies, and the levels of NDMA contamination varied across batches. Some of the batches of contaminated metformin were found to contain over 10 times the acceptable daily limit.
After announcing its findings, Valisure filed a Citizen Petition requesting the FDA require a recall of metformin products it found to contain dangerous levels of NDMA and increase the quality of testing for NDMA in metformin. The petition stated that Valisure had followed the FDA’s recommended testing protocols but had made tweaks that it says improved the accuracy of the tests. Valisure had previously found unacceptably high levels of NDMA in the blood pressure medication Valsartan and the popular heartburn medication Zantac, both of which have experienced extensive recalls from the U.S. market.
On May 27, 2020, the FDA announced it had found high levels of NDMA in some lots of metformin medication.
NDMA is a probable human carcinogen that can form naturally or as a byproduct of a manufacturing process. Exposure to NDMA at levels beyond the daily acceptable intake limit has been linked to various cancers, including:
- Stomach cancer
- Bladder Cancer
- Intestinal cancer (in both the large and small intestine)
- Colon cancer/ colorectal cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Liver cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Leukemia
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Kidney Cancer
- Multiple Myeloma
Metformin is one of the most prescribed drugs in U.S. It is sold under the brand names of Glucophage, Glucophage XR, Fortamet, Riomet and Glumetza, and as a generic. Dozens of manufacturers produce and distribute metformin products in the U.S.
GoldenbergLaw is no longer accepting new Metformin cases.
For information on other practice areas being investigated by our Minneapolis Cancer Lawyers, please follow the links below.
A Personal Message From Senior Partner Stuart Goldenberg
For too long, we have failed consumers with inadequate testing of our drug supply that often leaves us discovering the dangers of an everyday product after it has been on the market for years. Metformin is the fourth most prescribed drug in the United States. Millions of people rely on it to regulate their type-2 diabetes so they can live a normal life. It is a stain on our regulatory agencies and the manufacturers whose interests they prioritize that we are just now finding out that such a widely distributed drug could be tainted by a harmful carcinogen. Let us help you. We have the experience you need to get the justice you deserve. Call us today.
Call 800-903-1643
Metformin Lawsuit FAQs
Some batches of metformin have been recalled in the U.S. as of September 2020. Certain batches of metformin products in Canada and Singapore have recently been recalled due to NDMA contamination.
NDMA has been identified as a probable human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. It is considered a “probable” human carcinogen because there is not enough human data to conclude that it is a “known” carcinogen. However, numerous animal studies have found links between NDMA and cancers of the liver, respiratory tract, and blood vessels. Various U.S. health agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, have concluded that NDMA is “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.
Free Consultations
GoldenbergLaw is no longer accepting new Metformin cases.
We continue to litigate many other cases where individuals have been diagnosed with cancer due to defective products. For information on these cases, please follow the links below.
Call 800-903-1643Why Choose GoldenbergLaw?
Our Minnesota class action attorneys have litigating complex cases against pharmaceutical companies for over 30 years. Let us deliver the Gold standard advocacy you deserve.
Thousands of Successful Settlements
Comprehensive Knowledge of Complex Issues
