As per a report released by the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation Xarelto lawsuits will be consolidated for multidistrict litigation. Approximately 6,457 pending lawsuits are in process regarding Xarelto. The most of the lawsuits were filed against its manufacturer, Janssen Pharmaceuticals alleging that these companies failed to warn patients and physicians of the increased risks of fatal internal bleeding when using Xarelto. According to the lawsuits plaintiffs claims that if these companies had warned of the risks, then patients would have been prescribed the drug warfarin, a medication in which internal bleeding can be treated with dosages of Vitamin K. Selected 40 cases have been consolidated into one case in Louisiana federal court for the Xarelto multidistrict litigation bellwether trial pool. Scheduled to begin in early 2017, these cases could set the tone for future Xarelto lawsuits.
Xarelto (Rivaroxaban) is an FXa inhibitor indicated for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) and for extended risk reduction. The blood thinner is manufactured by Bayer and is marketed by Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Xarelto was initially approved in 2011 and is one of the most recent blood thinners on the market. Xarelto medication is mostly prescribed to the patients who were gone through hip and knee replacement surgeries. It generally is prescribed as an alternative to warfarin (Coumadin), a blood thinner that began to be used in 1954. The patients took Xarelto to treat them from atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm), hypertension, or other valvular heart conditions.
Xarelto have received two ‘black box’ warnings from the FDA. These warnings are the strictest warning a product can receive before being pulled completely from the market. The most serious potential side effect, complication and risk caused by Xarelto is severe internal bleeding that can result in death. Side effects can range from mild to severe. Some common side effects associated with Xarelto include fainting, itching, pain in your arms or legs, Bloody stool, Bowel problems, muscle pain, and muscle spasms.
Life-Threatening Side Effects of Xarelto
- Hemorrhage
- Internal Fatal Bleeding
- Cranial Bleeding or Brain Bleeding
- Blood Clots
Pharmaceutical companies, including the makers of Xarelto, have a duty to obtain FDA approval before marketing those drugs to the public and ensure that their drugs are reasonably safe for use.
Physicians and patients were not adequately warned of the health risks of suffering a fatal bleeding event and other life threatening side effects. Currently, there is no known cure to reverse the type of internal bleeding caused by Xarelto which leads serious complications and sometimes death. The increasing number of lawsuits and allegations can result in serious problems for the drug manufacturer.