In May 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that taking the type 2 diabetes drug Invokana (canagliflozin) increases your risk of foot and leg amputations. The safety alert was an update to a 2016 alert. Type 2 diabetes itself increases your risk of amputation. Taking medication to manage your blood sugar is one way to help prevent the damage that leads to amputations. But now two large clinical trials have found that taking Invokana actually increases your risk of amputation. If you have required amputation after taking Invokana, the medication may have been the cause of your injury and you may be able to recover substantial compensation for your losses.
We represent people who have been harmed by Invokana and other defective drugs nationwide. If you or a loved one has been injured by Invokana side effects, please, talk to Shaw Cowart, LLP, to find out how we can help.
Invokana Amputation Risk
According to the FDA alert, two large clinical trials found that people taking Invokana were twice as likely to require amputations as those taking a placebo. And, while the most common amputations were those of the toe and middle foot, some patients required amputation of the leg either below or above the knee. Additionally, some of the Invokana users had to have multiple amputations including amputation of both legs.
Each of the studies, Canagliflozin Cardiovascular Assessment Study (CANVAS) and A Study of the Effects of Canagliflozin on Renal Endpoints in Adult Participants With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (CANVAS-R), had similar results:
- CANVAS – amputation in 5.9 of every 1,000 Invokana users vs 2.8 in patients taking a placebo
- CANVAS-R – amputation in 7.5 of every 1,000 Invokana users vs 4.2 in patients taking placebo
Just One More Invokana Danger
As you may have noticed by their names, the clinical trials that revealed the amputation risk were not initiated to study the risk of amputation, but to study the risk of heart attack and kidney damage while taking Invokana. In addition to amputations, Invokana has been linked to serious harm including:
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Renal impairment and kidney failure
- Diabetic ketoacidosis
- Bone fractures
- Yeast infection
- Urinary tract infection (UTI)
To learn more about your legal rights and how we can help you recover the compensation you need and deserve, please call Shaw Cowart, LLP, at 512-499-8900 or contact us online today. Your initial consultation is free of charge and you are under no obligation to move forward with us. If we represent you, we will do so on a contingent fee basis. We do not ask for money upfront. We only get paid if you get paid.