Bayer HealthCare and Johnson & Johnson are facing a growing multidistrict litigation (MDL) from numerous claimants alleging life-threatening bleeding from Xarelto. One of the most recent additions is from an Arkansas woman alleging her own Xarelto bleeding injuries.

Plaintiff Eva P. had been prescribed Xarelto for normal treatment purposes and did not use the medication outside of its intended purpose. Starting in April 2015, Eva had taken Xarelto under the impression that the medication would prolong her life and did not have any side effects that could place her life in danger.

However on July 4, 2015, Eva reportedly experienced life-threatening bleeding from Xarelto and had to be hospitalized due to these injuries. Eva was later taken off Xarelto just several days after her internal bleeding incident and was released from hospitalization after several nights of observation.

Eva was prescribed Xarelto to prevent stroke, but instead suffered internal bleeding complications.

Overview of Xarelto Bleeding Complications

Xarelto was released as a joint effort between Johnson & Johnson and Bayer HealthCare in 2011, following the release of its competitor, Pradaxa. After its predecessor was released in 2010, other pharmaceutical companies had begun developing their own blood thinners to try their own attempts in the lucrative anticoagulant market.

Pradaxa was the first anticoagulant to be released for blood thinning treatment purposes since warfarin in the 1950s. Anticoagulants work by inhibiting the body’s clotting mechanism to increase circulation efficiency and prevent potentially fatal blood clots. However, this also inhibits the body’s ability to heal itself from internal bleeding injuries.

This effect has allegedly resulted in life-threatening bleeding from Xarelto, as well as from other new generation anticoagulants. Xarelto and other new generation anticoagulants are marketed to be more convenient and efficient than warfarin, with doctors being able to prescribe them in daily standardized dosages.

While warfarin does require patients to see their physicians for frequent dose adjustments, warfarin has a readily available bleeding antidote while Xarelto does not.

Life-threatening bleeding from Xarelto was reported soon after its release, with patients alleging they had to be hospitalized for these injuries and had no warning of this possibility. Eva is filing this Xarelto lawsuit alleging the pharmaceutical giants knew or should have known of these complications but failed to notify the public.

Eva states that she would never have taken the medication if she had known of the potential of developing life-threatening bleeding from Xarelto. Eva is filing legal action for multiple counts of negligence and failure to warn.

This Xarelto Lawsuit is Case No. 2:17-cv-02138-EEF-MBN, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Eastern Louisiana.