Drug Linked to Severe Internal Bleeding
In recent years, concern over the blood thinner Pradaxa has led thousands of people to file lawsuits against Boehringer Ingelheim, the drug’s manufacturer. The primary claim against the pharmaceutical company is that it failed to warn consumers about the medication’s higher risk of severe bleeding.
Part of the problem is that for the first five years Pradaxa was available to the public, no antidote existed to reverse the effects of the drug. Patients who took the anticoagulant drug could literally bleed to death from an otherwise minor cut, and the FDA has since reviewed thousands of deaths attributed to it. Bruising and internal bleeding could also cause major health issues.
Serious Pradaxa Side Effects
The most common complaints in Pradaxa lawsuits reference dangerous side effects of the blood thinner, the most serious of which is a higher risk of severe bleeding that can lead to death.
Pradaxa Warnings and Recalls
Initially approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 2010, Pradaxa was marketed by Boehringer Ingelheim as an alternative to warfarin, the most commonly used blood thinner in the preceding 60 years. Despite the pharmaceutical company’s claims that the drug was safer, studies showed that Pradaxa had a higher rate of gastrointestinal bleeds along with a similar rate of major bleeds as warfarin.
The important difference between the anticoagulant drugs is that for its first five years on the market, Pradaxa did not have an antidote that could reverse its adverse effects. Patients who took warfarin could be given vitamin K to help blood clot normally; patients who took Pradaxa, however, had no way to stop bleeding, and even a minor cut or bruise could turn into a major health concern.
Lawsuit complaints against the drugmaker often cite the risk of Pradaxa’s “unreasonable and dangerous” side effects as a primary concern. Out of this initial cause, however, arise other legal accusations.
The Russo Firm and Pradaxa Lawsuits
Our firm is currently investigating cases for clients who took Pradaxa and have been diagnosed with severe internal bleeding.
If you or a loved one has developed internal bleeding as a result of taking Pradaxa,
call The Russo Firm at 844-847-8300 or contact us online to talk with an experienced lawyer about your injuries. If you can’t travel to our office, we will come to you, or we can work by phone, fax, email or other methods of communication. Remember, you pay no fee unless we obtain compensation for you.