Bayer HealthCare and Johnson & Johnson are facing a new Xarelto lawsuit alleging serious internal bleeding injuries, which is joining a growing multidistrict litigation (MDL).

The Xarelto lawsuit was filed by a woman from Alabama who alleges the companies failed to warn her against potentially fatal internal bleeding injuries.

Plaintiff Ronda F. opted to file this Xarelto lawsuit after discovering other patients had suffered similar incidents of internal bleeding about which the companies also allegedly failing to warn.

According to the Xarelto lawsuit, Ronda had been prescribed the anticoagulant to treat congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation and deep vein thrombosis.

Atrial fibrillation treatment is a common use for Xarelto and other anticoagulants, as it helps prevent blood clot attacks in high risk patients. Anticoagulants work by controlling the body’s clotting mechanism, which increases efficiency in the circulation system.

However, this also inhibits the body’s self recovery mechanism in cases of internal bleeding that can quickly become fatal. Ronda says she had no way of knowing this at the time she was prescribed Xarelto on May 27, 2016, and reportedly did not discover it until after sustaining major internal bleeding injuries.

According to the Xarelto lawsuit, Ronda had stayed on the medication until Dec. 8, 2016 and had suffered an internal bleeding incident during this period.

Ronda says she suffered a potentially fatal gastrointestinal bleeding incident on Nov. 14, 2016. Ronda opted to file this Xarelto lawsuit after discovering the anticoagulant allegedly contributed to her life threatening injuries, with the medication lacking a reversal agent at the time.

Overview of Xarelto Bleeding Complications

Xarelto was approved by the FDA in 2011, which was one year after Pradaxa was first released onto the market. This was significant as Pradaxa was the first medication to be released for anticoagulant treatment purposes since warfarin in the 1960s.

Xarelto and other new generation anticoagulants boasted a convenient single daily dosage and did not require frequent dose adjustments from doctors. However, Xarelto and other new generation anticoagulants lacked an approved bleeding antidote for years, with Andexxa only just getting approval in 2018.

While the release of Andexxa will be helpful for Xarelto patients, it does not change the fact that there was no sufficient bleeding antidote for Xarelto for the first seven years on the market. According to one report, approximately 120,000 people were hospitalized for Xarelto bleeding complications in 2016.

Even though Xarelto internal bleeding incidents can be potentially fatal, Bayer and Johnson & Johnson allegedly failed to warn the general public. At all times relevant, Ronda says she and her physicians relied on the marketing statements provided by the companies and had no reason to believe she was at risk for potentially fatal drug complications.

Ronda states she would not have agreed to take Xarelto if she had known it could potentially cause uncontrollable internal bleeding. Ronda’s Xarelto lawsuit is joining MDL No 2592, where it will stand alongside other claims alleging similar injuries.

By joining this MDL, Ronda’s Xarelto lawsuit will be streamlined through the litigation process and will avoid complications like conflicting rulings from different judges.

This Xarelto Lawsuit is Case No. 2:18-cv-10884-EEF-MBN, in the U.S. District Court of Eastern Louisiana.