Xarelto Manufacturers Johnson & Johnson and Bayer Fight Consolidation of Lawsuits
Bayer and Johnson & Johnson are fighting the consolidation of personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits that claim Xarelto, the companies’ leading anticoagulant, is more dangerous than advertising claims.
Xarelto was approved by the FDA in 2011. In the first 3 months of 2012, the blood thinner’s popularity sky-rocketed – around 130,000 prescriptions were written for Xarelto in the US alone. However, some doctors began expressing concern about Xarelto – not only because there is no known antidote, but because, unlike warfarin, the drug has no routine anticoagulant screening to help monitor patients’ safety and prevent internal bleeding or blood clots.
Plaintiffs and their attorneys met with a panel of federal judges in Charleston, SC on December 4th to discuss possible consolidation of Xarelto injury lawsuits. So far, 50 personal injury cases have been filed in 15 federal courts across the country. Attorneys for the plaintiffs contend that there are at least 65 deaths caused by Xarelto bleeding incidents, which could not be reversed because the anticoagulant has no antidote.
However, J&J and Bayer maintain that their product has no outstanding risk to many patients, and that “the benefit-risk profile of Xarelto remains favorable and consistent with the clinical trials.”
“All anticoagulants carry the risk of bleeding, and the prescribing information for Xarelto has always warned of these risks,” said J&J spokeswoman Kristina Chang.
Consolidation could save time and money for both sides, especially during the consolidation phase of the Xarelto lawsuits. However, both J&J and Bayer have chosen to fight consolidation. Among many claims, the Xarelto injury lawsuit claims that Bayer and J&J hid the potential dangers of the blood thinner from consumers and doctors. Other Xarelto lawsuits pending in federal courts across the country make similar allegations.
The push for and against consolidation comes in the wake of a $650 million settlement involving Pradaxa injury claimants and German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelhiem this past May. The company said that it agreed to the settlement to avoid prolonged litigation, and so that the company could admit no fault. The company added that it still stands by its anticoagulant’s safety.
In June of this year, a study from the Institute for Safe Medicine Practices reported that bleeding incidents and adverse events related to Xarelto prescriptions are on the rise. As of 2013, the FDA has received 680 complaints alleging injuries and death from Xarelto.
The Strom Law Firm Fights for Patients Injured by Dangerous Drugs Like Xarelto
Without routine monitoring and an antidote, Xarelto puts patients at serious risk of life-threatening side effects or event death.
Side effects from Xarelto use can include:
- Uncontrolled bleeding events
- Pulmonary embolism
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Gastrointestinal hemorrhage
- Hemoglobin decrease
- Cerebrovascular accidents
- Hematoma (collecting or pooling of blood inside blood vessels)
- Edema peripheral (tissue swelling)
- Dyspnea (difficulty breathing or shortness of breath)
The South Carolina pharmaceutical liability lawyers at The Strom Law Firm, LLC are at the forefront of the fight to protect the public and will stand up for your rights against the big drug and insurance companies. We will fight to ensure that you and your loved ones receive the justice you deserve. Contact our defective drug and wrongful death attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, LLC today for a free consultation to discuss the facts of your case as well as your legal rights. 803.252.4800
