Invokana Goes to Court in Canada

Scarborough, ONRosalba Joudry had been prescribed a drug called Invokana to help deal with the high glucose levels related to her type 2 diabetes. She had been using the drug for several months when she saw an American TV commercial about a class-action suit filed against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Janssen’s new, preeminent diabetes drug had been linked to cases of ketoacidosis or kidney failure, and even death, in users of Invokana, and affected users had joined together in a lawsuit.

Joudry called her doctor who advised her to immediately stop taking the drug. When Joudry’s tests came back from the lab, they showed that, in fact, she was suffering from kidney failure.

According to the documents filed with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Joudry had relied completely on the information given by multinational pharmaceutical company Janssen Inc. Had she been aware of the potential complications related to the use of Invokana, she would not have taken it to control problems related to her condition.

Many doctors in Canada prescribe Invokana to their type 2 diabetes patients, and three provinces list Invokana as one of the drugs paid for through the provincial health system.

According to Janssen, “Invokana is proven to lower blood sugar when used along with diet and exercise.”

Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which the pancreas either does not produce enough insulin or fails to use the insulin properly, causing glucose to build up in the body.

The active ingredient in Invokana is canagliflozin. It works by facilitating glucose reabsorption in the kidneys and increasing glucose excretion through urination, thereby reducing blood glucose levels.

Joudry is represented by the Merchant Law Group. Anthony Merchant, a veteran of many class-action cases in Canada, has publicly stated that “Invokana is a very risky drug for kidney failure” and that “doctors and users of Invokana should consider very carefully if they wish to continue.”

According to Merchant, his office is now handling at least 36 Invokana cases in Canada.

The suit claims, among other things, that the monograph warnings provided by Janssen are inadequate. It claims the company failed to study long-term effects of the drug on kidneys.