Patient Safety News: Patients awarded $775 Million for complications caused by Xarelto

Bayer and Johnson & Johnson, the two manufacturers of the blood thinner Xarelto, will pay $775 million to patients who say they were not informed that the drug could cause deadly bleeding side effects.

Xarelto is prescribed to prevent clots that could lead to strokes. There have been 25,000 lawsuits filed against the companies, charging they failed to warn patients that the drug could trigger massive and uncontrollable bleeding, leading to serious injury, and even death. The settlement was reached in March 2019.

“Patients should be fully informed of what they are putting into their bodies,” said Berman & Simmons Attorney Susan Faunce. “When it comes to consumer safety, companies should be held responsible for their actions and punished for their negligence.”

In 2014, Boehringer Ingelheim faced similar lawsuits for its drug Pradaxa, another blood thinner. Boehringer Ingelheim failed to warn patients of the possible side effects from Pradaxa, which include liver problems and episodic bleeding. Those lawsuits were settled for $650 Million.

As part of the Xarelto settlement neither manufacturer admitted liability.

Attorney Faunce leads the firm’s mass tort practice and is pursuing claims for compensation on behalf of patients who have developed serious complications from dangerous drugs and medical devices.