A Texas man has filed a lawsuit against Janssen Pharmaceuticals after he took their blood thinning medication Xarelto and suffered adverse effects as a result.

Plaintiff Michael J. began taking blood thinning medication Xarelto in December 2015 for the reduction of the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

A few months later, on Feb. 27, 2016, Michael was admitted to a regional hospital where he was diagnosed with gastrointestinal bleeding and anemia.

The plaintiff had to undergo blood transfusions and additional medical treatment for his injuries. He remained hospitalized until March 1, 2016. Because of his gastrointestinal bleeding, anemia and subsequent hospital stay, Michael ceased using Xarelto.

At the time of his hospitalization, he was still taking the anticoagulant Xarelto.

Michael’s lawsuit claims that as a direct and proximate result of taking Janssen’s blood thinning medication Xarelto, he suffered injuries.

He claims that because of the defendants’ conduct he has suffered and will continue to suffer “harm and damages including severe pain and suffering, past and future medical expenses and other economic and noneconomic damages.”

Michael asserts that because of Janssen “foregoing acts and omissions” he was caused to suffer permanent and lasting severe personal injuries, physical pain and mental anguish, including diminished enjoyment of life as well as the need for lifelong medical treatment, monitoring and/or medications.

He holds Janssen and their blood thinning medication Xarelto responsible.

In addition to Janssen, Michael also names Johnson & Johnson as well as Bayer in the lawsuit.

Problems with Blood Thinning Medication Xarelto

Blood thinning medication Xarelto was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2011 for those patients who are at risk for deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism following knee or hip replacement surgery.

Soon thereafter, Xarelto was also approved for those patients who are at risk of stroke or systemic embolism.

However, Xarelto has had a host of problems. Less than one year after the drug was approved over 1,000 adverse bleeding reports were reported to the FDA, including 65 fatalities. This number has continued to grow.

In this lawsuit, Michael claims that Janssen did not include the proper warnings on the Xarelto label or in any marketing material.

For example, blood thinning medication Xarelto does not have an antidote for uncontrollable bleeding. Other anticoagulants have antidotes if internal bleeding is out of control.

Additionally, Janssen aggressively marketed a drug that they knew, allegedly, was unsafe. They spent $11 million in 2013 alone on aggressive marketing of their blood thinning medication Xarelto.

In fact, Xarelto garnered approximately $658 million in sales worldwide in 2012. In 2013, sales for Xarelto cleared the $1 billion threshold.

This is commonly known as “blockbuster” status in the pharmaceutical world. That year, they reported sales of approximately $2 billion.

Michael brings claims of negligence, strict products liability, breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty, fraudulent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment and negligent misrepresentation.

The Xarelto Lawsuit is filed under MDL 2592 in the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Louisiana.