“Why are Xarelto and Pradaxa still on the market?” The only true answer is corporate greed. As long as these pharmaceutical corporations keep making billions in drug sales, they will disregard the inconceivable risks. These risks bring real injuries to consumers caused by dangerous drugs.
It is disheartening to see TV advertisements of these dangerous drugs. Xarelto has a television advertisement in which several well-known celebrities endorse the drug. Every time these ads run, it is disheartening to see the callous and greedy nature of these drug conglomerates. Instead of righting the wrongs their drugs have caused and compensating consumers for the injuries sustained, they are shelling out astronomical amounts. This money funds the never-ending campaign to increase big pharma’s wallets.
It didn’t start out this way. When Xarelto and Pradaxa first came on the market in 2011, medical professionals heralded the drugs as the first pair of blood thinning medications to replace 60 years of Warfarin use. Warfarin is a pill whose risks deterred many from using a crucial stroke-prevention medication. Unfortunately, these newer drugs are not the “best alternative” to warfarin, which pharmaceutical manufacturers led consumers to believe. Many consumers using either Xarelto or Pradaxa have experienced an increased risk of complications. This has even led to untimely deaths.
However, suddenly stopping Xarelto or Pradaxa can increase those risks. That is a terrifying thought. If a drug causes you harm, the logical instinct is to cease usage. Recently published studies on Xarelto showed interesting data on patients who suddenly stopped the anticoagulant. If patients taking the drug for long periods of time stopped it within 6 months of the initial dosage, they showed an 86% increase in the risk of a bleeding stroke or even death.
This same increased risk from halting consumption was also seen in patients taking Pradaxa. They showed four times the risk of stroke along with a 76% increase in a cardiovascular event or death.
This sample includes patients that switched to Warfarin, other direct oral anticoagulants, along with those who permanently discontinued anticoagulation therapy altogether. Therefore, even switching brands during the first 6 months of initial usage raises the danger of experiencing a stroke, cardiovascular event or death by an astronomical percentage.
For those who do not experience a stroke, they may experience uncontrolled bleeding. This bleeding occurs near a major organ (i.e. brain, lungs or kidneys) when blood flow to that organ is halted. The organ will rapidly decrease some or all of its functionality. Pools of blood may start to form within the body. Doctors prescribe Xarelto and Pradaxa to prevent clotting. However, doctors cannot inject clotting factors into the body to reverse the bleeding. Unfortunately, this means that there are few options for doctors to employ when treating the injuries and suffering resulting from these bleeding events.
Highly regarded director of anti-coagulation services for the Veterans Administration (VA) healthcare system, Dr. Alan Jacobson recently spoke against Xarelto and Pradaxa. He said:
“You can kill a patient as easily with the new drug as you could with the old drug. The average patient doesn’t understand anything about the new drug, or what the risks are, or what other medicines he can or can’t take.”
This extremely dangerous precedent is becoming the norm. Also, it is causing many people to lose their lives following the use of Xarelto and Pradaxa. As stated earlier, corporate greed is absolutely to blame. Dollar signs are blinding pharmaceutical companies. The current market for anticoagulants is estimated to be worth $10 billion. Plus, patients are paying more for it. These new drugs are more costly than its predecessor, Warfarin. Xarelto costs about $3,000 a year compared with $200 for Warfarin. Additionally, the newer anticoagulants do not require frequent monitoring by a doctor. Many doctors are prescribing the same dosage amount for every patient, which in turns may lead to greater injuries to consumers.
The bottom line is that these pharmaceutical corporations will keep advertising and selling these drugs as long as they can keep making money. The fact that the effects of these drugs are devastating and continue well after the usage is halted makes no difference. Every time I must answer a client’s question about why these drugs are still legal, my resolve to see justice served to these corporations increases tenfold.
After Xarelto and Pradaxa Injuries
At The Michael Brady Lynch Firm, we take these bleeding side effects very seriously. We fight to make sure that pharmaceutical companies understand the seriousness as well. If you or a loved one have experienced a bleeding event from taking Xarelto or Pradaxa, contact us today. Let us fight for you.