Man Alleges Pradaxa Side Effects Required Hospitalization

Pradaxa lawsuit plaintiff John Andrist was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, a heart condition that can cause blood clotting issues including strokes. He began taking the popular blood thinner Pradaxa in July 2011, but less than three months later was diagnosed with gastrointestinal bleeding, according to his Pradaxa lawsuit.

Andrist presented to emergency room doctors with black stool and anemia. Like others who have dealt with uncontrollable bleeding events while on the drug, he required constant blood transfusions and extended care. At the time, his Pradaxa side effects lawsuit attorney says Andrist had no idea that there is no reversal agent for the drug.

Boehringer Ingelheim, the manufacturer of Pradaxa, noted that their medication interacted with fewer medications than the generic warfarin. However, the Pradaxa lawsuit notes that the medication comes in a so-called “one-size-fits-all” dose that can make it difficult for doctors to adjust treatments. In addition, Pradaxa gastrointestinal bleeding side effects occur at a higher rate than with the generic treatment. 

In addition, there have been hundreds of deaths associated with Pradaxa bleeding even though the blood thinner has only been on the market for a few years. The total count is unknown. While the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) continues to state that the drug is safer than the generic warfarin, Andrist’s Pradaxa internal bleeding side effects lawsuit notes that the pharmaceutical firm confirmed 260 deaths over an eight-month period in 2011.

Summing up, the Pradaxa lawsuit alleges that “(i)n essence, the Defendant created a new drug, Pradaxa, that is no better than warfarin from a safety perspective, and is, at best, perhaps slightly easier to use and administer. Physicians were subjected to extreme marketing and promotion by the Defendant of the concept of an easier-to-use anticoagulant, but it ignores patient safety.” Counts against the drug maker include failure to warn, negligence, fraud, fraudulent concealment and defects regarding design, manufacture and marketing.

The Pradaxa internal bleeding side effects lawsuit is John Andrist v. Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Case No. 13-cv-51356, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. The Pradaxa internal bleeding multidistrict litigation is In re: Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2385, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.

If you or someone you know took Pradaxa to treat atrial fibrillation and suffered from bleeding issues, you may be able to pursue a legal remedy. Learn more and find out if you are eligible to join them by filling out the short form at the Pradaxa Internal Bleeding Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. It entitles you to a free case eligibility review with a Pradaxa side effects lawsuit attorney.