Preview Newsletter
XARELTO Media Monitoring Week of 4/17/2015
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Federal Litigation to Convene Science Day on June 11th
Apr 16, 2015 | PR Web
By Bernstein Liebhard LLP
Hundreds of Xarelto lawsuits (http://www.xareltolawsuit2015.com/) that allege the blood-thinning medication caused patients to experience uncontrollable internal bleeding and other dangerous complications continue to move forward in a federal multidistrict litigation underway in U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana. According to an Order dated April 7, 2015, the Court will convene a Science Day on June 11th at 9:00 a.m. (In Re: Xarelto Products Liability Litigation, No. 2592) -
Xarelto Lawyers at Bernstein Liebhard LLP Report on Latest Status Conference in Federal Multidistrict Litigation
Apr 11, 2015 | Bernstein Liebhard LLP
The federal court overseeing hundreds of Xarelto lawsuits (http://www.xareltolawsuit2015.com/) filed on behalf of individuals who were allegedly harmed by the blood thinner convened its most recent Status Conference on April 1st. According to Minutes issued by the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, matters discussed included the Court’s efforts to coordinate with state Xarelto litigations. The Minutes also noted that the parties are continuing to meet and confer on a number of issues, including document production and the submission of a proposed Preservation Order. (In Re: Xarelto Products Liability Litigation, No. 2592) -
One-Size-Fits-All Xarelto Dose Unwise for Many Patients
Apr 15, 2015 | The Legal Examiner
By Roopal Luhana
When manufacturers first released Xarelto on the market in 2011, they advertised it as a more convenient alternative to the leading blood-thinner, warfarin. Approved for reducing the risk of blood clots following knee or hip replacement surgery, as well as to reduce risk of stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, it came in a single dose that did not require blood monitoring. -
Xarelto Risks, Science Information to be Presented to MDL Judge
Apr 15, 2015 | About Lawsuits
By Austin Kirk
As a growing number of Xarelto lawsuits continue to be filed on behalf of individuals who have suffered severe and sometimes deadly bleeding problems, the federal judge presiding over the litigation has agreed to hear presentations from both parties about the medical and scientific information that is likely to come up in the cases. -
XARELTO Lawsuits May Match Pradaxa
Apr 15, 2015 | Meyerkord & Meyerkord LLC
Currently there are more than 300 Xarelto lawsuits filed, and more are expected to be on the way. Likewise, all lawsuits have been consolidated into the Eastern District of Louisiana alleging the makers of the product have caused harm to patients. Now, many are wondering if the rash of Xarelto lawsuits will be as large as Pradaxa. Although Pradaxa lawsuits were settled in 2014, there are many similarities between the two cases. For instance, both drugs have the same side effects, and similar failure to warn circumstances associated with adverse outcomes. -
Xarelto Bleeding Lawsuits To Be Directly Filed to MDL
Apr 15, 2015 | Top Class Actions
By Ashley Vanover
The federal judge overseeing the Xarelto MDL (multidistrict litigation) concerning claims of severe bleeding problems occurring while taking Xarelto ordered that all new Xarelto lawsuits across the country be filed directly into his Louisiana courtroom. -
Texas Woman Files Lawsuit Against Makers Of Blood Thinner Xarelto
Apr 15, 2015 | Righting Injustice
By Jennifer Walker-Journey
*Note: This website is sponsored by Beasley Allen Law Firm. A Texas woman has become the latest among hundreds of people to file a lawsuit against the makers of the blood thinner Xareltoclaiming the drug caused her to bleed uncontrollably. -
Plaintiff Demands $4.5 Million in Xarelto Injury Lawsuit
Apr 14, 2015 | Product Liability Blog
By Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Glassman
According to a recent news feature from the Madison Record, a woman in Texas is suing Bayer Pharmaceuticals AG, and its United States marketing partner Janssen Pharmaceuticals (Johnson & Johnson) for injuries she alleges was a result of her Xarelto prescription. -
New Xarelto Lawsuit Filed Against Janssen and Bayer
Apr 13, 2015 | Top Class Actions
By Laura Schultz
A new Xarelto lawsuit was filed in an Alabama federal court alleging that Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Bayer Pharmaceuticals manufactured, marketed, and sold a drug that is unsafe for its intended use. The Xarelto lawsuit was brought by plaintiff Sarah G., an Alabama resident. According to the lawsuit, Sarah was prescribed Xarelto by her physician and started taking the medication in March 2013. -
Will Xarelto Litigation Match Pradaxa?
Apr 11, 2015 | Lawyers and Settlements
By Heidi Turner
With more than 300 Xarelto lawsuits sitting in multidistrict litigation and more Xarelto side effects lawsuits being filed, plaintiffs could be forgiven for wondering if Xarelto litigation will ultimately match Pradaxa litigation. There are similarities: both drugs were linked to similar side effects and face similar failure-to-warn allegations. But while Pradaxa litigation was largely settled in 2014, Xarelto litigation is just now getting underway.
Client Attorney Privileged/Attorney Work Product/At Request of Counsel
Plaintiff Attorney Press Releases
Plaintiff Attorney Blogs
Full Text of Stories Below
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Federal Litigation to Convene Science Day on June 11th
Apr 16, 2015 | PR Web
By Bernstein Liebhard LLP
Hundreds of Xarelto lawsuits (http://www.xareltolawsuit2015.com/) that allege the blood-thinning medication caused patients to experience uncontrollable internal bleeding and other dangerous complications continue to move forward in a federal multidistrict litigation underway in U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana. According to an Order dated April 7, 2015, the Court will convene a Science Day on June 11th at 9:00 a.m. (In Re: Xarelto Products Liability Litigation, No. 2592)
“Our Firm is representing a number of Xarelto lawsuit plaintiffs in U.S. courts, and we are looking forward to the multidistrict litigation’s Science Day. The Science Day will serve to apprise the Court of scientific and medical issues that may prove relevant to our clients’ claims,” says Sandy A. Liebhard, a partner at Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing victims of defective medical devices and drugs. The Firm is actively filing Xarelto lawsuits in U.S. courts, and continues to evaluate claims on behalf of individuals who allegedly suffered a life-threatening internal bleeding episode, a stroke, deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism due to their use of this blood thinner.
Xarelto Litigations
Court documents indicate that more than 300 Xarelto lawsuits have been filed in the multidistrict litigation underway in Louisiana, all of which allege that the drug’s manufacturers failed to provide adequate warnings regarding its association with serious side effects, including internal bleeding, strokes, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Among other things, plaintiffs cite allegedly misleading marketing claims which positioned Xarelto as a superior alternative to warfarin, a blood thinner that has been on the market for decades. The lawsuits point out that while internal bleeding associated with warfarin can be stopped via the administration of vitamin K, there is currently no approved antidote to reverse Xarelto bleeding.In addition to the Xarelto lawsuits pending in the federal multidistrict litigation, at least 180 similar claims have been filed in a Pennsylvania mass tort litigation now underway in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. (In Re: Xarelto Litigation, Case ID 150102349)
Individuals who allegedly experienced internal bleeding and other complications related to Xarelto may be entitled to compensation for the medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. Learn more about filing a Xarelto lawsuit by visiting Bernstein Liebhard LLP’s website, or by calling 800-511-5092 to schedule a free, no obligation case review.
Link: http://www.prweb.com/releases/xarelto-lawsuit/xarelto-bleeding/prweb12660339.htm
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Apr 11, 2015 | Bernstein Liebhard LLP
The federal court overseeing hundreds of Xarelto lawsuits (http://www.xareltolawsuit2015.com/)
filed on behalf of individuals who were allegedly harmed by the blood thinner convened its most recent Status Conference on April 1st. According to Minutes issued by the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, matters discussed included the Court’s efforts to coordinate with state Xarelto litigations. The Minutes also noted that the parties are continuing to meet and confer on a number of issues, including document production and the submission of a proposed Preservation Order. (In Re: Xarelto Products Liability Litigation, No. 2592)“Our Firm is currently representing a number of Xarelto lawsuit plaintiffs in the federal proceeding, and we are pleased that this litigation is moving forward. The Courts’ efforts to coordinate with Xarelto litigations underway on the state level will allow claims to continue to progress in an efficient manner, and help preserve the resources of the courts, parties and witnesses,” says Sandy A. Liebhard, a partner at Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing victims of defective medical devices and drugs. The Firm is actively filing Xarelto lawsuits in U.S. courts on behalf of individuals who allegedly suffered a life-threatening internal bleeding episode, a stroke, deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism due to their use of this blood thinner.
Nationwide Xarelto Litigation
Court records indicate that more than 500 Xarelto lawsuits are currently pending in courts nationwide. This includes nearly 300 claims that have filed in the Eastern District of Louisiana, where all federal lawsuits involving the blood thinner have been consolidated for the purposes of pretrial proceedings. More than 180 additional cases have been consolidated in a mass tort litigation currently underway in Pennsylvania’s Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. (In Re: Xarelto Litigation, Case ID 150102349)
According to court documents, all of the Xarelto lawsuits pending in these proceedings involve similar allegations regarding the medication’s potential to cause uncontrollable internal bleeding and other serious side effects, including strokes, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Plaintiffs further allege that the manufacturers of Xarelto were wrong to market the blood thinner as a superior alternative to warfarin, an anticoagulant that has been on the market for decades. Among other things, they point out that bleeding associated with warfarin can be stopped via the administration of vitamin K, while there is currently no approved antidote to stop Xarelto bleeding.
Individuals who allegedly experienced internal bleeding and other complications related to Xarelto may be entitled to compensation or the medical bills and other damages. Learn more about filing a Xarelto lawsuit by visiting Bernstein Liebhard LLP’s website, or by calling 800-511-5092 to schedule a free, no obligation case review.
About Bernstein Liebhard LLP
Link: http://www.prweb.com/releases/xarelto-lawsuit/xarelto-internal-bleeding/prweb12645547.htm
Bernstein Liebhard LLP is a New York-based law firm exclusively representing injured persons in complex individual and class action lawsuits nationwide since 1993. As a national law firm, Bernstein Liebhard LLP possesses all of the legal and financial resources required to successfully challenge billion dollar pharmaceutical and medical device companies. As a result, our attorneys and legal staff have been able to recover more than $3 billion on behalf of our clients. The National Law Journal has recognized Bernstein Liebhard for twelve consecutive years as one of the top plaintiffs' firms in the country. Bernstein Liebhard LLP is the only firm in the country to be named to this prestigious list every year since it was first published in 2003. -
One-Size-Fits-All Xarelto Dose Unwise for Many Patients
Apr 15, 2015 | The Legal Examiner
By Roopal Luhana
When manufacturers first released Xarelto on the market in 2011, they advertised it as a more convenient alternative to the leading blood-thinner, warfarin. Approved for reducing the risk of blood clots following knee or hip replacement surgery, as well as to reduce risk of stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, it came in a single dose that did not require blood monitoring.
Patients on warfarin had to continue to test and monitor their blood to be sure the dose they were using was working correctly. In other words, doctors wanted to be sure that the dose they were prescribing was working sufficiently to reduce clotting risk, but wasn’t causing the blood to thin too much, which could cause dangerous bleeding effects. Results of the blood tests were analyzed and the dose of the drug adjusted, as necessary.
Patients taking Xarelto were told they didn’t have to go through this type of monitoring.
Recent research, however, has suggested that monitoring could have helped prevent dangerous bleeding in patients, particularly those with kidney malfunction. A new editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) also questions the wisdom of a one-size-fits-all dose of Xarelto and other similar blood thinners.
Xarelto Patients Would Benefit from Blood Monitoring
In March 2015, researchers published a study in the Journal of Cardiology that concluded blood monitoring could identify patients at risk of serious bleeding side effects. Researchers examined 136 patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation who were taking Xarelto (rivaroxaban), and found that in 29 of them, the “peak prothrombin time”—which is an indication of how much the drug is “thinning” the blood or reducing the clotting time—was significantly longer than baseline.
That means that these patients would have been at risk for excessive bleeding. Such testing, the researchers stated, could have helped determine which patients were vulnerable to serious side effects.
The Institute for Safe Medicine Practices reported that by the first quarter of 2013, the number of adverse bleeding events associated with Xarelto had overtaken those with Pradaxa (dabigatran—a similar blood thinner), with nearly 700 cases reported.
Any excessive bleeding with these drugs is much more serious than that linked with warfarin. Doctors can treat excessive warfarin bleeding with injections of vitamin K, but there is no similar antidote to Xarelto or Pradaxa bleeding, making these events much more serious and potentially deadly.
Xarelto Manufacturers Need to Come Up with New Dosing Recommendations
In March 2015, J. Robert Powell, PharmD, published an editorial in JAMA questioning the dosage recommendations for Xarelto and other similar newer anticoagulants.
“The ability to understand how to optimally achieve anticoagulation with warfarin took 60 years since its approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1954,” he writes. “How long will it take clinicians to understand how to optimally dose the new thrombin and factor Xa inhibitors in all patients?”
He goes on to state that while the newer drugs come in one dose, supposedly without need for monitoring, such “convenience” may sacrifice patient safety, and may have a lot more to do with marketing and sales then what’s actually best for patients. Even in the initial clinical studies used to demonstrate the drugs’ capabilities, patients experienced varying levels of effectiveness with the drug.
Powell concludes that manufacturers should conduct additional clinical trials to come up with new dosing recommendations that would better protect patients from dangerous bleeding side effects.
Link: http://newyork.legalexaminer.com/defective-dangerous-products/one-size-fits-all-xarelto-dose-unwise-for-many-patients/
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Xarelto Risks, Science Information to be Presented to MDL Judge
Apr 15, 2015 | About Lawsuits
By Austin Kirk
As a growing number of Xarelto lawsuits continue to be filed on behalf of individuals who have suffered severe and sometimes deadly bleeding problems, the federal judge presiding over the litigation has agreed to hear presentations from both parties about the medical and scientific information that is likely to come up in the cases.
U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon is presiding over more than 400 complaints filed throughout the federal court system involving bleeding problems allegedly caused by side effects of Xarelto, which is a new-generation anticoagulant.
All of the complaints involve similar allegations that Bayer Healthcare and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen subsidiary failed to adequately warn consumers and the medical community about the bleeding risks associated with their medication, and about the lack of an effective antidote for Xarelto, which may have allowed doctors to reverse the blood thinning effects if hemorrhages develop.
Since December 2014, the cases have been centralized before Judge Fallon in the Eastern District of Louisiana as part of an MDL, or Multidistrict Litigation, to reduce duplicative discovery into common issues that impact many cases, avoid conflicting pretrial rulings from different judges and to serve the convenience of the witnesses, parties and courts.
Following a status conference earlier this month, Judge Fallon issued an order (PDF) scheduling a “Science Day” for June 11, 2015.
While specifics have not yet been provided by the Court, such presentations are often scheduled in complex pharmaceutical litigation where a large number of claims are being presented involving similar injuries associated with the same medication, allowing each side to educate the Court in a non-adversarial manner.
During the Xarelto “Science Day”, it is expected that Judge Fallon will hear information about the nature of blood thinners, the role of the drugs in preventing strokes and blood clots, data regarding the bleeding risks and information about reversal agents that may have allowed doctors to control bleeding problems experienced by patients.Xarelto Bleeding Risks
Xarelto (rivaroxoaban) was introduced in 2011 as a superior replacement for Coumadin (warfarin), which has been the “go-to” medication for prevention of blood clots and strokes among patients with atrial fibrillation for decades.
While all blood thinners carry a risk of bleeding injury, Xarelto has been linked to a surprising number of problems as more and more patients are switched to the novel anticoagulant.
Xarelto has been promoted as superior to warfarin, with the drug makers indicating that it is easier to use, since it does not require regular blood monitoring. However, several recent studies have raised questions about those claims, with researchers suggesting that Xarelto blood monitoring may actually help doctors identify patients at the greatest risk of bleeding.
In addition to failing to warn about the risk of bleeding and importance of blood monitoring, plaintiffs claim that drug makers withheld information about the lack of a Xarelto reversal agent, which doctors could use to stop hemorrhaging that may develop among users.
While warfarin’s blooding thinning effects can be quickly reversed in an emergency, there is no antidote for Xarelto.Xarelto Litigation Status
Over the coming months, it is expected that the Xarelto litigation will continue to grow, as lawyers continue to review and file cases on behalf of individuals throughout the U.S.
In addition to complaints filed in the federal court system, there are several hundred more cases pending in various state courts nationwide, including about 170 pending in Pennsylvania state court, where a Xarelto mass tort was established in January.
As part of the coordinated pretrial proceedings, it is expected that Judge Fallon will schedule a series of early trial dates, known as “bellwether” cases. While the outcomes of these trials will not be binding on other claims, they are designed to help the parties gauge how juries may respond to certain evidence and testimony that is likely to be repeated throughout the litigation.
If the parties fail to reach Xarelto settlements following the bellwether trial process, it is possible Judge Fallon may begin remanding hundreds of individual cases back to the U.S. District Courts where they would have originally been filed for separate trial dates.
Link: http://www.aboutlawsuits.com/xarelto-risks-science-information-mdl-80600/
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XARELTO Lawsuits May Match Pradaxa
Apr 15, 2015 | Meyerkord & Meyerkord LLC
Currently there are more than 300 Xarelto lawsuits filed, and more are expected to be on the way. Likewise, all lawsuits have been consolidated into the Eastern District of Louisiana alleging the makers of the product have caused harm to patients. Now, many are wondering if the rash of Xarelto lawsuits will be as large as Pradaxa. Although Pradaxa lawsuits were settled in 2014, there are many similarities between the two cases. For instance, both drugs have the same side effects, and similar failure to warn circumstances associated with adverse outcomes.
Both Xarelto and Pradaxa are new blood thinners, which were marketed as being superior to Coumadin, which has been on the market for years. Both new blood thinners promised patients more ease by not requiring blood monitoring. As a tragic result, there is no antidote to stop life threatening bleeding once it's began, and some patients are dying. Now, families are alleging that the makers, Bayer and Janssen Pharmaceuticals were aware of the serious bleeding episodes associated with the drugs, yet failed to properly warm patients or their physicians.
The skilled St. Louis personal injury lawyers at Meyerkord & Meyerkord are currently representing Xarelto cases, and can help you if this drug has harmed you or a loved one. Please contact us today for a free consultation.
Link: http://www.stlouis-personalinjury.com/Blog/2015/April/Xarelto-lawsuits-may-match-Pradaxa.aspx
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Xarelto Bleeding Lawsuits To Be Directly Filed to MDL
Apr 15, 2015 | Top Class Actions
By Ashley Vanover
The federal judge overseeing the Xarelto MDL (multidistrict litigation) concerning claims of severe bleeding problems occurring while taking Xarelto ordered that all new Xarelto lawsuits across the country be filed directly into his Louisiana courtroom.
Court records show that U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon, who is managing the Xarelto side effects litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, recently ordered that new Xarelto lawsuits can be directly filed into the nationwide Xarelto MDL. This pretrial order filed on March 24 will make it unnecessary for attorneys to file new Xarelto bleeding clams in their local district to await eventual transferred to the Xarelto MDL based in Louisiana, thereby increasing efficiency and avoiding delays related to transferring cases.
The Xarelto MDL is In re: Xarelto (Rivaroxaban) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2592 U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana.Overview of Xarelto Allegations
The Xarelto lawsuits pending in the Louisiana MDL are filed on behalf of men and women who allege that they experienced a serious internal bleeding episode like pulmonary bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, or deep vein thrombosis as a result of being prescribed Xarelto. In some instances, Xarelto lawsuits are filed on behalf of survivors whose loved ones have died allegedly due to Xarelto bleeding.
The Xarelto bleeding lawsuits name as defendants Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit, which are responsible for manufacturing and marketing the blood thinner. The Xarelto complaints accuse Bayer and Janssen of failing to warn consumers that Xarelto does not have an antidote, leaving doctors without any effective means to treat and stabilize patients who experienced uncontrolled and excessive bleeding.Xarelto Bleeding Complications
Xarelto (rivaroxaban) is an oral blood thinner approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism and to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots in patients with atrial fibrillation. Xarelto is considered a new generation blood thinner compared to Warfarin (Coumadin), a blood thinner that received FDA approval 60 years ago. However, unlike Warfarin, no antidotes are currently available to reverse the blood thinning properties of Xarelto, leaving doctors unable to reverse bleeding in an emergency.Xarelto Lawsuits
As Xarelto lawyers continue to lay the groundwork for the Xarelto MDL, the number of Xarelto lawsuits filed against the makers of the drug continues to grow, as the number of Xarelto lawsuits has tripled this February. All these Xarelto bleeding cases claim similar incidents of severe bleeding problems. Bayer Healthcare and Janssen Pharmaceuticals now face at least 300 Xarelto injury claims with more than a thousand claims expected to be filed against the company by trial time. All claimants are expected to bring forth similar allegations that the company failed to warn them of the serious, and sometimes deadly, Xarelto side effects.
Men and women across the country who experienced uncontrollable bleeding, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, stroke and other side effects allegedly as a result of using Xarelto and other prescription blood thinners may be able to obtain compensation for their suffering through a Xarelto lawsuit.
Link: http://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/53697-xarelto-bleeding-lawsuits-to-be-directly-filed-to-mdl/
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Texas Woman Files Lawsuit Against Makers Of Blood Thinner Xarelto
Apr 15, 2015 | Righting Injustice
By Jennifer Walker-Journey
A Texas woman has become the latest among hundreds of people to file a lawsuit against the makers of the blood thinner Xareltoclaiming the drug caused her to bleed uncontrollably.
Lola Daniel filed her lawsuit in St. Clair County Circuit Court. Named in the suit are Janssen Research and Development LLC, Janssen Ortho LLC, Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, Bayer Pharma AG, Bayer Corp., Bayer Healthcare LLC, Bayer Healthcare AG, and Bayer AG.
Daniel’s lawsuit seeks $4.5 million as compensation “for personal injuries and economic damages suffered as a result of a defective and dangerous pharmaceutical product, Xarelto (rivaroxaban), which was designed, researched, developed, manufactured, tested, labeled, advertised, marketed, promoted, distributed and sold by defendants and defendants representatives,” according to the lawsuit.
Xarelto is an anticoagulant used to prevent or treat blood clots in patients undergoing hip or knee replacement therapy, and to prevent strokes and blood clots in some heart patients, such as those with the common but life threatening heart rhythm abnormality atrial fibrillation. Xarelto is intended to serve as an alternative to the long-used warfarin, which is considered inconvenient because patients on warfarin have to be monitored on a regular basis whereas patients on Xarelto do not.
While Xarelto was found to be effective at preventing and treating blood clots, the drug was linked to serious uncontrolled bleeding events, including gastrointestinal bleeds, brain hemorrhages and rectal bleeding. However, unlike warfarin, there is no antidote to reverse the blood thinning qualities of Xarelto.
Xarelto was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011. By 2013, the drug had been blamed on more than 1,000 adverse events, including 65 deaths.
Link: http://www.rightinginjustice.com/news/2015/04/14/texas-woman-files-lawsuit-against-makers-of-blood-thinner-xarelto/ -
Plaintiff Demands $4.5 Million in Xarelto Injury Lawsuit
Apr 14, 2015 | Product Liability Blog
By Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Glassman
According to a recent news feature from the Madison Record, a woman in Texas is suing Bayer Pharmaceuticals AG, and its United States marketing partner Janssen Pharmaceuticals (Johnson & Johnson) for injuries she alleges was a result of her Xarelto prescription.
Xarelto is the brand name for a drug known as rivaroxaban. It is a member of a class of drugs known as New Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs). Patients who suffer from various medical conditions including atrial fibrillation (Afib) require an anti-clotting agent. If blood clots form, they can block the flow of blood, causing strokes and other serious issues. If a clot forms and breaks loose, it can travel to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, where it can cause serious internal bleeding known as a pulmonary embolism or PE. Until the creation and FDA approval of NOACs, including Xarelto, Pradaxa, and Eliquis, the most commonly used medication was Warfarin, which is the generic form of Coumadin.
While Coumadin is effective in treating Afib patients, it does require very frequent blood tests to monitor dosage, and patients must also watch their diets closely, as certain foods can alter the rate at which Coumadin is absorbed. If the dosage is off, the patient can have serious consequences including bleeding disorders.
As our Boston Xarelto injury attorneys can explain, makers of this drug, Eliquis, and Pradaxa claim their NOACs do not need to be constantly monitored, so they are much more convenient to patients. However, what the makers of the respective drugs do not want patients to know is that these drugs have been known to cause serious internal bleeding disorders, including intracranial bleeding, and there is no cure or antidote currently approved by the FDA. In other words, for Xarelto patients who suffer internal bleeding caused by the drug, there is nothing doctors can do to reverse the bleeding disorder.
There is, however, an experimental antidote for the internal bleeding disorder caused by Pradaxa, which is thought to be effective in treating symptoms of all three new blood thinners, but this antidote is still in the clinical trials phase. This antidote is being manufactured by another pharmaceutical company, and, while the manufacturers of the NOACs do not look to directly make any revenue from the sale of the antidote, it will allow them to keep earning billions of dollars from sales of their respective medications, which all share potentially dangerous and sometimes deadly side effects.
As result of these Xarelto injuries, thousands have become sick and many have died. Plaintiffs all over the country, including the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, are filing products liability lawsuits in which plaintiffs are alleging manufacture of a defective and dangerous drug and failure to adequately warn of a known danger, in addition to standard claims common to other negligence based personal injury lawsuits.
However, these are very complex cases, and you should make sure your attorney has experience handling lawsuits involving pharmaceutical manufacturers. Having handled these and other similar cases in the past can also help in the discovery phase of any lawsuit, which is often the most crucial aspect of legal matters such as these.
If you are the victim of Massachusetts product liability due to taking Xarelto, call the Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Glassman for a free and confidential appointment -- 1-888-367-2900.
Link: http://www.productliabilitylawyerblog.com/2015/04/plaintiff-demands-45-million-in-xarelto-injury-lawsuit.html
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New Xarelto Lawsuit Filed Against Janssen and Bayer
Apr 13, 2015 | Top Class Actions
By Laura Schultz
A new Xarelto lawsuit was filed in an Alabama federal court alleging that Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Bayer Pharmaceuticals manufactured, marketed, and sold a drug that is unsafe for its intended use.
The Xarelto lawsuit was brought by plaintiff Sarah G., an Alabama resident. According to the lawsuit, Sarah was prescribed Xarelto by her physician and started taking the medication in March 2013.
She took the medication for a little over three weeks, the Xarelto lawsuit says. A few days after she stopped taking the medication, Sarah suffered a gastrointestinal bleed and acute blood loss.
She suffered from life-threatening bleeding that required not only a colonoscopy but also blood transfusions and other related medical treatment, her Xarelto lawsuit says. Sarah claims that her injuries occurred as a direct result of her use of Xarelto.What is Xarelto?
Xarelto (rivaroxaban) is a popular anticoagulant. The FDA approved the medication in 2011 to help prevent blood clots from forming after hip and knee replacement surgery and to prevent blood clots and stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Janssen and Bayer Pharmaceuticals used direct-to-consumer marketing plans to advertise Xarelto. This means the pharmaceutical companies didn’t just market the medication to medical professionals but also directly to consumers through TV commercials, pamphlets, and print ads.
Manufacturers of Xarelto aggressively advertised the medication as superior to the more traditional blood thinner Warfarin (coumadin). Patients taking Warfarin are required to follow strict dietary restrictions and undergo blood monitoring.
Patients taking Xarelto are not limited by these restrictions. But Xarelto, unlike Warfarin, has no known antidote. When patients using Warfarin suffer from excessive bleeding, medical professionals can administer a dose of Vitamin K and plasma. This is not the case for Xarelto patients.
Serious side effects associated with taking Xarelto include uncontrollable internal bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, pulmonary embolism, hemorrhaging, and deep vein thrombosis.
According to adverse side effects reports, Xarelto and other similar blood thinners are among the most dangerous drugs on the market, blamed for hundreds of deaths each year and thousands of other serious injuries.Overview of Xarelto Lawsuits
Thousands of anticoagulant lawsuits have been filed across the nation in state and federal courts. Personal injury attorneys are looking for potential Xarelto plaintiffs.
Settlements or awards received from successful Xarelto lawsuits help victims pay both past and future medical bills as well as compensate them for the pain and anguish they suffered due to adverse side effects from taking the medication.
In some cases, spouses of victims may join Xarelto lawsuits as co-plaintiffs, bringing loss of consortium claims, or claims for loss of spousal intimacy. Lawsuits brought against the pharmaceutical companies generally include claims for negligence, breach of warranty, fraud and deceit, misrepresentation, and strict products liability.
The Xarelto Lawsuit is Case No. 2:15-cv-00475-TMP, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Southern Division.
Link: http://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/53454-new-xarelto-lawsuit-filed-janssen-bayer/
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Will Xarelto Litigation Match Pradaxa?
Apr 11, 2015 | Lawyers and Settlements
By Heidi Turner
With more than 300 Xarelto lawsuits sitting in multidistrict litigation and more Xarelto side effects lawsuits being filed, plaintiffs could be forgiven for wondering if Xarelto litigation will ultimately match Pradaxa litigation. There are similarities: both drugs were linked to similar side effects and face similar failure-to-warn allegations. But while Pradaxa litigation was largely settled in 2014, Xarelto litigation is just now getting underway.
Xarelto and Pradaxa are both newer-generation anticoagulants, marketed as being superior alternatives to warfarin. Warfarin (known by the brand name of Coumadin) has been on the market for decades to prevent blood clots and strokes, but requires blood monitoring to ensure patients stay in the therapeutic range. Newer-generation anticoagulants are marketed as not requiring blood monitoring.
At issue, however, is the lack of an antidote - a problem linked to newer anticoagulants. Anticoagulants prevent blood from clotting - excellent in preventing blood clots and strokes, but dangerous for other bleeding events. Failure of the blood to clot makes it more difficult to stop bleeding, meaning patients who take anticoagulants face a risk of serious bleeding problems. Warfarin has an antidote in the form of vitamin K. Newer anticoagulants do not have a widely accepted antidote, meaning once patients taking the drugs start bleeding, they could be at risk of severe health problems.
Lawsuits filed against Bayer and Janssen Pharmaceuticals allege the companies knew or should have known about the risk of serious bleeding events but did not properly warn patients that there was no accepted antidote to Xarelto.Boehringer Ingelheim, the maker of Pradaxa, faced approximately 9,000 lawsuits alleging patients were injured or died as a result of severe bleeding episodes linked to the drug. In May 2014, Boehringer Ingelheim agreed to settle approximately 4,000 claims in state and federal courts for around $650 million.
As of March 16, 2015, there were approximately 315 federal lawsuits consolidated before US District Judge Eldon E. Fallon in multidistrict litigation. More lawsuits continue to be filed. According to The Madison-St. Clair Record (4/6/15), a lawsuit was filed March 26 by Lola Daniel, alleging she was harmed by using Xarelto. The lawsuit, case number 15-L-177, seeks damages of more than $4.5 million.
The Xarelto lawsuits are consolidated under In re: Xarelto Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2592, Eastern District of Louisiana.Link: http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/articles/xarelto/xarelto-lawsuit-death-bleeding-issue-15-20569.html#.VS6MavnF9R0
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