If You’ve Suffered Damage Due to Bleeding from Xarelto, Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Johnson & Johnson May be Liable
Numerous victims of Xarelto (rivaroxaban), a new generation anticoagulant, have come forward with allegations against Janssen Pharmaceuticals for falsely marketing the drug as safe. This isn’t the first time an anti-coagulant has been touted as the latest and greatest, only to discover that manufacturers failed to warn doctors and patients about the potential for life-threatening bleeds. In 2014, the makers of Pradaxa were forced to pay more than $650 million as a result of numerous lawsuits, and now Janssen Pharmaceuticals is facing similar action for the same misinformation. Rather than withdrawing Xarelto from the marketplace, Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Johnson & Johnson continued to promote and aggressively market the drug as safe even after instances of patient injuries began to mount.
All anticoagulants, (commonly known as blood thinners) are used to prevent blood clots and can result in bleeding that is difficult to stop. The problem, however, is that unlike other drugs, Xarelto does not have a reversal antidote to manage bleeding. The blood thinner Warfarin (Coumadin), for example, has been used for several years. In the case of a fatal bleeding event, Warfarin’s effects can be reversed and managed when a patient is given the antidote vitamin K.
Doctors, medical staff, and patients were not made aware of the risks of taking Xarelto or of any reversal methods to stabilize a patient in the event of a serious complication. In just 30 days, more than 1,800 ads for Xarelto were shown, paid for by Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Many of these ads claimed that Xarelto was a safer, more convenient alternative to the decades-old drug Warfarin.
FDA Issues Warning to Janssen Pharmaceuticals for False, Misleading Marketing Claims
Janssen Pharmaceuticals marketed Xarelto as a “once daily” dosage to all patients, regardless of medical history, age, or other factors that could affect the way that a medication is tolerated. This claim has resulted in injury and death for thousands of patients who were unaware of the risks associated with taking Xarelto. The FDA first approved Xarelto in 2011 for patients at risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) undergoing knee and hip replacements, stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), and those at risk of pulmonary embolism (PE).
In 2013, the FDA issued a warning to Johnson & Johnson (on behalf of Janssen Pharmaceuticals) for an ad that ran in in the January/February 2013 issue of WebMD magazine. The FDA stated that the ad was false and misleading because it minimized the risks that are associated with Xarelto. The ad also falsely claimed that the drug required no dosage adjustments. However, in the prescribing Information section of the Medication Guide, it is recommended that the dose should be lowered to 15 mg once a day for patients with renal impairment.
Have You Experienced an Adverse Reaction to the Anticoagulant Xarelto?
Unfortunately, due to Janssen Pharmaceuticals’ failure to warn medical staff and patients, thousands of people have been injured by the drug’s effects and inability to stabilize patients who have taken it. Xarelto use has been linked to:
- Hemorrhaging;
- Infections From Inhibited Clotting;
- Deep Vein Thrombosis;
- Stroke;
- Death;
- Gastrointestinal Hemorrhaging;
- Intracranial Hemorrhaging; and
- Epidural Hematoma.
If you or a loved one have suffered from any of these side effects while taking Xarelto, you may be eligible to file a claim against Janssen Pharmaceuticals and entitled to compensation for injuries.
Get Help From a Bronx Xarelto Lawsuit Attorney Today
To arrange a free evaluation of your case and explore your legal options, call Macaluso & Fafinski today at 718.364.4000 (in the Bronx) or 212.480.9000 (from elsewhere in New York), or simply fill out our convenient online form, and we will respond as soon as possible. The offices of Macaluso & Fafinski are conveniently located to serve the five-borough area and its residents.
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