Since Xarelto lawsuits were consolidated in December 2014, more than 1,700 lawsuits have been filed nationwide against Janssen Research and Development and Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals. Earlier in September, a monthly status conference was held to determine the bellwether cases. Bellwether trials are the first trials held in an MDL, and they are used as representative case studies to determine how the rest of the litigation will be resolved. Currently, two bellwether trials have been slated for August 2016 in the Eastern District of Louisiana, with a third and a fourth trial taking place in the Southern District of Texas and the Southern District of Mississippi respectively.
Each of these cases alleges that Xarelto caused them to suffer severe internal bleeding and/or hemorrhagic strokes. According to the lawsuits, Xarelto manufacturers knew of the higher risk of hemorrhaging and internal bleeding – yet continued to market their drug without a known antidote. They allege that the warning information in the drug's label is woefully inadequate and fails to convey the serious and sometimes-deadly dangers associated with using this drug.
What is Xarelto?
Xarelto is a anticoagulant that was approved for patients at risk of a stroke or blood clot. The drug functions similarly to Heparin and Coumadin – yet unlike these older anticoagulants, Xarelto is marketed as needing little to no testing while taking the medication. Unfortunately, unlike Heparin and Coumadin, there is no antidote for uncontrolled bleeding associated with Xarelto. As a result, patients who do experience hemorrhaging are at a significantly higher risk of bleeding to death.
More than 1 in 100 patients taking Xarelto will experience some type of unconrolled bleeding, including blood in the urine, gastrointestinal bleeding, and nosebleeds. If the bleeding is severe, doctors are helpless to stop it. Since Xarelto was first released and approved by the FDA, more than 2,100 adverse reactions have been reported.
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals is one of the top fifteen companies in the pharmaceutical market. They boast that more than 7 million people around the world currently take Xarelto – even though there is no known antidote. Patients have reported serious and often fatal side effects after taking Xarelto, including:
- Pulmonary embolism
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Gastrointestinal hemorrhage
- Internal bleeding
- Brain bleeds
During the first eight months of 2013 alone, there were 968 reports of serious Xarelto side effects and 72 Xarelto deaths. The year prior, there were 750 reports of serious Xarelto side effects and 58 Xarelto deaths.
A Xarelto Lawyer Can Help
An experienced Xarelto attorney can help you determine whether your injuries are the result of taking Xarelto. If your injury was caused by Xarelto, your attorney can review all of your legal options with you and help you choose the path that is right for you and your family. Many of the Xarelto dangers are life-threatening, requiring emergency medical attention, lengthy hospitalization, and ongoing treatment.