A California woman has filed an Eliquis gastrointestinal bleeding lawsuit against Bristol-Myers Squibb and other defendants claiming the drug caused her many complications.

Plaintiff Bonnie M. took Eliquis upon direction from her doctor to reduce the risk of stroke and embolism due to atrial fibrillation.

According to her Eliquis gastrointestinal bleeding lawsuit, Bonnie claims that as a direct and proximate result of taking Eliquis, she experienced gastrointestinal bleeding, severe pain and suffering.

She claims that she has suffered and incurred damages including medical expenses, physical pain and anguish, diminished enjoyment of life and loss of earnings, among other damages.

Eliquis, also known as apixiban, is an oral anticoagulant known as a Factor Xa inhibitor. The FDA approved it in 2012 for the treatment of atrial fibrillation.

However, approval of Eliquis was based largely on a study called the ARISTOTLE study conducted in China. This study was later shown to have been fraught with problems, and leaders of the study have been accused of fraud.

This Eliquis gastrointestinal bleeding lawsuit claims that managers of the ARISTOTLE study:

• Did not properly report side effects
• Did not follow up with participants
• Committed dispensing errors including indicating that certain subjects were getting Eliquis when they were not
• Exercised poor overall quality control
• Changed or falsified records including records disappearing just before the FDA made a site visit

They have even been accused of failing to report a death associated with the study.

Eliquis is the third member of a new generation of blood thinners, behind Pradaxa and Xarelto. These were developed to compete with warfarin, more commonly known as Coumadin, which has been the standard blood thinner prescribed by doctors for many years.

Bristol-Myers Squibb has aggressively marketed Eliquis as a superior alternative to warfarin. Warfarin requires a strict diet and constant monitoring.

The difference between the two types of blood thinners is that, while warfarin may require more care, it has an antidote available if and when uncontrollable internal bleeding occurs as an adverse effect.

However, Eliquis does not have such an antidote, putting Eliquis users at risk for uncontrollable internal bleeding and hemorrhage. Hundreds of patients have reportedly experienced uncontrollable bleeding events related to Eliquis requiring hospitalization and sometimes leading to death.

These risks have led many patients to file an Eliquis gastrointestinal bleeding lawsuit against the manufacturers of Eliquis. They often claim that the makers manufactured and sold a dangerous drug and failed to adequately warn users or the medical community that an antidote is not available.

Filing an Eliquis Gastrointestinal Bleeding Lawsuit

Some Eliquis lawsuits accused the drug makers of being negligent in manufacturing and selling a drug without properly informing the public and medical community of the risks.

Eliquis lawsuit plaintiffs are seeking compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages. If you have experienced uncontrollable bleeding from Eliquis, you may be eligible to file an Eliquis gastrointestinal bleeding lawsuit.

Bonnie’s Eliquis Gastrointestinal Bleeding Lawsuit is Case No. 5:16-cv-06124 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.