On February 7th, there was an important trial update for the case against Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer concerning their blood thinner, Eliquis. Eliquis is responsible for the injury and death of hundreds of people. At The Michael Brady Lynch Firm, we are trying to put a stop to it by holding these large pharmaceutical companies liable.
Both sides agreed to a transfer order to centralize the Eliquis litigation to the Southern District of New York under Judge Denise Cote. Both defendants have their corporate headquarters within the district, and therefore relevant documents and witnesses are likely to be located there. The 34 actions pending in 13 districts along with 19 related federal actions were combined into Eliquis MDL No. 2754. These cases describe the product liability violations Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer are responsible for when pushing Eliquis to market.
Additionally, this Eliquis MDL is great news for those who have been recently injured by Eliquis. This means that there will most likely be new litigations against Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer.
Multiple Lawsuits before Eliquis MDL
The manufacturers of Eliquis (Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer) are no strangers to pharmaceutical lawsuits.
In 2001, Bristol-Myers Squibb participated in an illegal business practice called channel stuffing. This caused a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigation who filed fraud charges. Channel stuffing is a tactic in which companies inflate their sales numbers by sending businesses more products than they can sell. The company settled for $839 million.
In 2002, Pfizer settled charges for illegally marketing a drug called Bextra for $2.3 billion. During the following decade, it settled separate lawsuits involving its drugs Lipitor, Neurontin, and Detrol for a combined total of more than $490 million.
In 2007, Bristol-Myers settled illegal marketing and pricing charges for $515 million after overcharging the government for drugs and illegally promoting the antipsychotic Abilify.
Eliquis Not Recalled
Researchers have linked Eliquis, like other newer generation oral anticoagulants (OACs) like Pradaxa and Xarelto, to an increased risk of uncontrolled bleeding (hemorrhaging). This is because the drug prevents stroke by inhibiting the blood clotting mechanism. This has caused thousands to hemorrhage without a reversal. The FDA approved Eliquis and it remains on the market without an antidote. Not only is the lack of a reversal worrisome, but the manufacturers failed to properly test Eliquis prior to market approval. Both of these reasons show they are the ones liable for thousands of injuries and even deaths.
As hundreds more Eliquis suits will likely be filed in the coming months, it is important that if you or a loved one developed a bleeding event while taking Eliquis to contact us. We will walk you through the process during your free no-obligation consultation.
How We Can Help
When you experience side effects from a dangerous drug, it can have devastating effects on your entire life. Compensation for injuries and damages could be available.
The recoverable losses include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of an ability to work; and
- Pain and suffering
Additionally, if a person dies from complications from a drug, family members may be able to recover damages for the wrongful death of their loved one, including:
- Funeral expenses
- Medical expenses prior to death
- Loss of economic support; and
- Loss of companionship
The Michael Brady Lynch continues to be on the forefront of litigations like this one. Therefore, let our decades of experience bring justice for your injury.
