Daiichi Sankyo has agreed to a settlement of up to $300 million to bring an end to a group of around 2,300 Benicar lawsuits. According to the Benicar lawsuit news, the settlement will be finalized if 95 percent of the claimants opt in.

Though Daiichi Sankyo is a Japanese drugmaker, Benicar is sold in the U.S., and the thousands of lawsuits that could be ended with this settlement agreement were filed by U.S. patients claiming they suffered profound gastrointestinal side effects. The first of these lawsuits was filed back in 2014, and they were eventually consolidated in a multidistrict litigation (MDL) in New Jersey federal court.

Of course, this Benicar lawsuit news does not actually mean that Daiichi Sankyo has admitted any liability.

The company’s official position is that these Benicar claims are without merit, Glenn Gormley, Daiichi’s executive chairman noted in a statement about the Benicar lawsuit news.

“We believe a settlement is in the best interest of all, and will allow us to continue our focus on bringing to market innovative medicines that help people live healthy and meaningful lives,” Gormley told Reuters.

Background of Benicar

Benicar (also known by its generic name, olmesartan medoxomil) is a popular hypertension medication used to treat elevated blood pressure levels. Patients with elevated blood pressure face a greater risk of heart attacks and strokes, and Benicar and other hypertension drugs like it work to reduce these risks.

Benicar is manufactured by pharmaceutical giant Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002. Since its release onto the market, Benicar has rapidly increased in popularity, becoming one of the most commonly used blood pressure drugs. So far, over 11 million people across the U.S. have been prescribed Benicar to treat blood pressure.

Side Effects of Benicar

A number of studies have shown a series of Benicar side effects, including serious gastrointestinal issues. Possible side effects of Benicar include the following:

• Villous atrophy
• Sprue-like enteropathy
• Colitis
• Kidney failure
• Malabsorption
• Malnutrition
• Dehydration
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting/Nausea
• Abdominal pain

Filing a Benicar Lawsuit

Thousands of plaintiffs have filed lawsuits against Daiichi Sankyo over Benicar side effects alleging that the medication can cause serious gastrointestinal complications.

Lawsuits allege that Daiichi either knew or should have known about these risks, yet failed to give patients, the public, and the medical community adequate warning, instead continuing to market the drug as safe and effective.

If you or someone you love has suffered from Benicar gastrointestinal problems or other side effects, you may be able to file a Benicar lawsuit. Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering of these problems, but it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.