According to recent Eliquis side effect allegations, the popular blood thinning medication has been linked with events of serious internal bleeding, a potentially fatal complication.

Eliquis (or apixaban) is an anticoagulant jointly designed, manufactured, and marketed by Pfizer Inc. and Bristol-Meyers Squibb. The blood-thinning treatment was introduced into the American drug market in 2012 and has been regularly prescribed to patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation or who have recently undergone hip or knee replacement surgery to prevent strokes and blood clots.

Joined by Xarelto and Pradaxa, Eliquis is a third-generation blood thinner manufactured to compete with more traditional blood thinners like warfarin (also known as Coumadin). The pharmaceutical companies responsible for designing, selling, and promoting Pradaxa, Xarelto, and Eliquis have allegedly taken to aggressively marketing their third generation anti-coagulants as not only an alternative, but a superior alternative to the tried and true warfarin, which requires patients to maintain a strict diet and close blood monitoring.

Despite the promotions for Eliquis and other third-generation blood thinning treatments, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been flooded with adverse event reports, claiming that many patients experienced severe side effects like uncontrollable bleeding after taking Eliquis and other drugs in its class. Because of these reports of Eliquis side effects, this drug, as well as Xarelto and Pradaxa, are considered quite dangerous despite the many potential benefits.

Eliquis Side Effects

Like its sister drugs Xarelto and Pradaxa, many consumers allege they suffered from uncontrollable internal bleeding and hemorrhaging after taking Eliquis. Unlike warfarin, Eliquis does not have an antidote to stop severe bleeding events, although companies like Pfizer and Bristol-Meyers are technically supposed to design an antidote side-by-side with their blood thinner. Hundreds of patients were allegedly hospitalized because of Eliquis bleeding incidents, some of which have resulted in death.

Some commonly reported Eliquis side effects include:

• Bleeding on the brain
• Intestinal bleeding
• Kidney bleeding
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Death

Eliquis Lawsuits

Although Eliquis is a fairly new anticoagulant, the drug has already been at the center of several lawsuits because of its dangerous bleeding side effects, similar to the lawsuits filed against Pradaxa and Xarelto.

Pradaxa is facing over 2,000 Pradaxa side effects lawsuits filed in federal and state courts. Additionally, in May 2014, Pradaxa’s manufacturer Boehringer Ingelheim agreed to pay a $650 million settlement to resolve allegations in over 4,000 Pradaxa lawsuits.

Similarly, a Xarelto MDL (multidistrict litigation) has centralized 50 Xarelto lawsuits in Louisiana federal court and dozens more cases are expected to be filed and consolidated in this MDL during 2015.

At the same time that several Pradaxa and Xarelto lawsuits are going to trial, lawyers are also preparing a number of Eliquis lawsuits against the manufacturers Pfizer and Bristol-Meyers Squibb. These Eliquis lawsuits allege the drug makers negligently manufactured and sold Eliquis without disclosing Eliquis side effects like uncontrollable bleeding risks.

The plaintiffs of these Eliquis lawsuits also seeking monetary compensation for pain and suffering, medical expenses, and other damages related to Eliquis complications.