Bayer HealthCare and Johnson & Johnson are facing a growing multidistrict litigation (MDL), consisting of product liability claims filed by patients who allegedly suffered gastrointestinal bleeding from Xarelto.

One of the most recent lawsuits joining the MDL comes from a man from West Virginia, who filed legal action soon after allegedly experiencing gastrointestinal bleeding from Xarelto.

Plaintiff Kenneth H. alleges he had developed gastrointestinal bleeding from Xarelto, soon after being prescribed the anticoagulant. Like millions of other patients in the United States, Kenneth says he was prescribed Xarelto on April 7, 2015 to reduce the risk of stroke and systemic embolism due to atrial fibrillation.

Anticoagulants work by inhibiting the body’s clotting mechanism, to increase the efficiency of the circulation system. However, this treatment mechanism could leave patients vulnerable to potentially fatal gastrointestinal bleeding from Xarelto, as the body may be unable to recover from minor internal bleeding incidents.

Xarelto is a part of the new generation anticoagulant family and had entered the market in 2011, which is just one year after its predecessor Pradaxa. In contrast to their predecessor warfarin, Xarelto and other new generation anticoagulants could be prescribed in a single dose and did not require patients to frequently see their doctors for dose adjustments.

While this convenient feature has propelled Xarelto to the top of the anticoagulant market, this has not prevented numerous patients from allegedly experiencing potentially fatal side effects.

Overview of Xarelto Bleeding Lawsuit

This had reportedly happened to Kenneth, who alleges he had experienced unexpected gastrointestinal bleeding from Xarelto just several months after starting the medication.

According to the Xarelto lawsuit, Kenneth had suffered gastrointestinal bleeding from Xarelto on Aug. 15, 2015 and had to be hospitalized. Soon after his arrival in the emergency room, Kenneth says he was diagnosed with gastrointestinal bleeding, epistaxis, and respiratory failure.

It wasn’t until May 2018 that Xarelto finally had a reversal agent approved that could help get dangerous bleeding events under control. Originally the more traditional anticoagulant, warfarin ,was the only commonly prescribed anticoagulant with this safety feature, with patients having the option of implementing vitamin K in the event of uncontrolled bleeding.

The reversal agent was not yet available when Kenneth suffered excessive bleeding. He reportedly had to receive blood transfusions and additional medical treatment due to the internal bleeding incident, and had to be hospitalized for over a week.

Not long after this incident, Kenneth learned that other patients had allegedly suffered gastrointestinal bleeding from Xarelto. This prompted Kenneth to file this Xarelto lawsuit, alleging Bayer and Johnson & Johnson either knew or should have known about these potential complications.

Kenneth states he would not have agreed to take the anticoagulant, if he had known about possible gastrointestinal bleeding from Xarelto. Kenneth’s Xarelto lawsuit is joining MDL No. 2592, where it will stand alongside other claims alleging gastrointestinal bleeding from Xarelto.

By joining an MDL, Kenneth’s claim will be streamlined through the litigation process and will avoid potential problems like conflicting rulings from different judges.

This Xarelto Lawsuit is Case No. 2:18-cv-04936-EEF-MBN, in the U.S. District Court of Eastern Louisiana.