Xolair, a popular asthma medication, is at the center of numerous lawsuits across the United States filed by adolescent and adult users who allege they suffered a blood clot injury after taking Xolair.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently detailed potential Xolair side effects that will be added to Xolair’s warning label. These warnings will include: mini-strokes (also known as transient ischemic attacks or TIAs), heart attacks, pulmonary hypertension, and blood clot formation in the lungs and veins. Due to the recent warning, hundreds of patients have started filing Xolair lawsuits against manufacturing company Genetech Inc. for failing to warn them about these adverse effects.

Xolair is an injectable asthma medication that is prescribed to patients who have not responded positively to traditional inhalers. It works by injecting a substance called IgE into their bloodstream, which allows for controlled breathing.

A Xolair study had been conducted for over five years by the drug’s manufacturer, which compared the side effects of Xolair to a placebo. Along with Genetech’s inquiry, 25 other studies had been submitted in observing the same problems. In all of the studies, the FDA noted that Xolair had a higher occurrence rate of cardiac problems, but did not find conclusive evidence. Now, the FDA is warning Xolair patients across the country that they could be in danger, and should consult their doctors immediately.

Legal experts expect the number of Xolair lawsuits to reach the thousands, considering how common asthma is and how often Xolair is requested as treatment.

Overview of Xolair Complications

Xolair is an asthma medication that is prescribed to patients 12 and older who have moderate to severe allergic asthma, or asthma induced by allergens. Xolair had a previous black box warning added to its label in 2007 for potentially dangerous allergic reactions patients could suffer that could lead to anaphylaxis.

Xolair’s overall benefits to the market have also been questioned, with experts asking if the risks of this drug outweigh the benefits. In May, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) conducted its own report of patients reacting to the drug, and questioned its safety in clinical use.