The maker of the drug is working on an antidote to help prevent potential deadly internal bleeding problems associated with Pradaxa.
Dallas, TX (PRWEB) July 03, 2012
The Pradaxa Resource Center, a patient advocacy group, is alerting patients who have taken or may be prescribed the drug Pradaxa that the maker of the drug is working on an antidote to help prevent potential deadly internal bleeding problems associated with Pradaxa.
The move comes as the FDA, European Medicines Agency and Institute for Safe Medication Practices have all warned that Pradaxa may cause serious or fatal internal bleeding of the intestines or brain, and a Federal Court is set to consolidate lawsuits filed by victims so far.
Anyone who has suffered a bleeding episode or lost a loved one after Pradaxa use is urged to speak with a lawyer about their legal rights as soon as possible.
Pradaxa is a popular anticoagulant prescribed to patients suffering from atrial fibrillation in order to prevent strokes. According to The Wall Street Journal on April 24, 2012, the drug reached blockbuster status after sales of $1 billion for the 12-month period ending in February.
Unfortunately, the FDA warned on December 7, 2011 that it was investigating the safety of Pradaxa after receiving higher than expected reports of injury or death. On May 25th, the European Medicines Agency also issued a warning on internal bleeding risks.
On June 6th, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Pradaxa led all other medications in 2011 for number of deaths and internal bleeding episodes reported to the FDA. The paper cited a report from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices' QuarterWatch program, which tracks reports to the FDA’s MedWatch.
Although all anticoagulants carry a risk of internal bleeding, most have a reversal agent available to doctors in emergency. A March 6, 2012 report by the Journal of Neurosurgery highlighted concerns from doctors that once Pradaxa causes internal bleeding in a patient, there is little they can do to stop it.
Now, Reuters has reported on June 14th that the maker of Pradaxa, German drug manufacturer Boehringer Ingelheim, is working at developing an antidote to the internal bleeding problems.
Due to the number of lawsuits expected over Pradaxa side effects, a motion was recently filed to consolidate the cases into one central federal court. The Motion was filed on May 30, 2012 in Case MDL No. 2385 IN RE: Pradaxa Product Liability Litigation, Southern District of Illinois. In the Motion, lawyers state they expect as many as 500 cases will be filed.
Anyone affected by Pradaxa side effects is urged to speak with a lawyer about their legal options. However, due to the specialized nature of federal MDL cases, only certain lawyers can help. The Pradaxa Resource center works only with qualified lawyers who are already filing these cases. Find out if you may be eligible to file a Pradaxa lawsuit by contacting the resource center.
For more information on the research, warnings, side effects and legal options relating to the drug Pradaxa, or to speak with a lawyer, visit http://www.Pradaxa-lawsuits.org.