The first Philadephia Xarelto trial started this month. Even though three bellwether trials have already occurred in Louisiana, this will be the first case that went to trial out of the 1,500 Xarelto cases filed there. There are five additional cases scheduled for trial in Philadelphia but those trials will not begin until January 16, 2018. We anticipate that these trials will be completed in April 2018.
About Philadelphia Xarelto Trial
The first case centers around Lynn Hartman. In June 2014, Hartman, who was using Xarelto, had a serious bleeding incident. Doctors hospitalized her for four days. At that time, she received two blood transfusions as medical personnel attempted with some difficulty to locate the source of internal bleeding. Doctors switched Hartman to another blood thinner. She had been taking Xarelto for a little over a year to treat an irregular heartbeat when she suffered gastrointestinal bleeding.
Inadequate Xarelto Label
The jury has already heard testimony from David Kessler, a former Commissioner of the FDA who served under Presidents G.H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. He testified that he didn’t think Xarelto’s label was inadequate. Plus, he insisted that the manufacturer did not provide the necessary data and warnings to properly inform consumers and the medical community of Xarelto’s deadly side effects.
Kessler also referenced the ROCKET AF clinical trial. Xarelto manufacturers Bayer and Janssen Pharmaceuticals were in charge of the trial. Kessler noted that trial results reflected a 3.6 percent risk for Xarelto bleeding complications. However, he observed that if one confined the data use to U.S. participants, the risk for Xarelto bleed-outs rose to 8.06 percent. But, Bayer and Janssen did not share that increased risk.
“It’s important information to me,” Kessler said. “I would want to know about it. It’s a clinically significant adverse event, it’s a demographic characteristic, and it should be on the label.”
This trial was the reason the FDA approved Xarelto.
About Xarelto
Approved by the FDA in 2011, Xarelto is used to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), and blood clots. Manufacturers Bayer and Janssen promote the drug has the gold standard for anticoagulants. However, it may be more dangerous than other medications on the market since there is no antidote.
No Way to Stop Xarelto’s Bleeding
By stopping the blood from clotting, blood-thinners can prevent blood clots in people suffering from conditions such as atrial fibrillation. Due to the risk of unstoppable bleeding, researchers developed an “antidote” to stop this effect in the case of emergency in users of warfarin, the most popular anticoagulant for decades.
Xarelto users aren’t so lucky. There is no antidote to reverse the anti-clotting effect of Xarelto in an emergency. This means doctors and surgeons may have limited options. It means that what could be a treatable injury for most people can be a fatal one for Xarelto users. Additionally, unlike other anticoagulants, Xarelto doesn’t push regular blood monitoring. With regular blood monitoring, doctors can adjust the dosage to ensure patients aren’t at risk.
Xarelto Lawsuit
Thousands of patients are speaking out against Xarelto. They decided to take a stand and ask for compensation from the manufacturers Bayer and Janssen. They feel these companies are profiting from their pains and their loved ones’ deaths. The drug is dangerous because the administration can be difficult, and it can complicate the healing of wounds. There is a tiny window of time between a safe Xarelto dose and a dangerous one. Overdose or not enough of the medication is a grim reality.
Xarelto lawsuits are similar to lawsuits over Pradaxa, another newer-generation anticoagulant. Michael Brady Lynch, the founder of The Michael Brady Lynch Firm is leading the country in Pradaxa lawsuits. Michael was a member of the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee in the Pradaxa Multi-District Litigation and was instrumental in securing the $650 million settlement for those injured by Pradaxa’s uncontrollable bleeding. Also, Mr. Lynch continues to be a leader in Pradaxa litigation nationwide in representing those who continue to suffer uncontrollable bleeding events from Pradaxa.
Attorney Lynch has said, “The U.S. numbers for Pradaxa bleeding events are truly staggering. It is on the verge of a national health disaster.”
Speak to an Attorney Today
If you or a loved one has been harmed by Xarelto, you need an attorney with experience helping people who have been harmed by pharmaceutical drugs. The attorneys at the Michael Brady Lynch Firm know what it takes to go up against drug manufacturers to get clients what they need.
