Pradaxa Risks Compared to Warfarin by FDA
By Christina Drury
Pradaxa is a commonly administered blood thinner that is designed to help those who are experiencing atrial fibrillation or to prevent the formation of blood clots that can cause strokes. Due to the many Pradaxa injury lawsuits that have been filed since Pradaxa was approved for use by the FDA in October 2010, another study was carried out in which the findings revealed little differences between Pradaxa and warfarin, another popular blood thinner on the market.
FDA Reports that Pradaxa Is Not Riskier than Warfarin
According to a recent report released by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), “bleeding rates associated with new use of Pradaxa do not appear to be higher than bleeding rates associated with new use of warfarin.” This might seem to be welcome news, but the fact remains that the FDA does not disclose the fact that Pradaxa, unlike Warfarin does not have an antidote that is used to reverse the Pradaxa side effects.
Also noteworthy is the fact that there was no comparison in the amount of deaths that have been caused by Pradaxa use versus those that have been caused by warfarin deaths.
Alarmingly, there are two more blood thinner medications that are currently undergoing the FDA approval process – neither of which has an antidote. Warfarin may be a similar product, but it has an antidote – Vitamin K – which can be used to reverse the side effects. Instead of competing for a chunk of the blood thinner market, manufacturers need to focus on creating medications that work without compromising patient safety.
How Many Pradaxa Deaths Are There?
There is an ongoing investigation into how many deaths have been caused by Pradaxa side effects. It is true that those who take Pradaxa can be subjected to internal bleeding that lasts for quite some time before the patient is ever aware of the symptoms. However, in 2011 alone, over 500 deaths were reported due to the use of Pradaxa and as a result, several Pradaxa lawsuits were filed.
How to Seek Help if You’ve Been Injured by Pradaxa Bleeding Side Effects
There are numerous active Pradaxa lawsuits in progress. As a result of this, there has been a single court that is set up to handle the claims being filed by patients who have suffered Pradaxa side effects or those who have lost loved ones due to Pradaxa use. An order has already been issued that Pradaxa lawsuits and claims can proceed with filing.
Since the Pradaxa side effects lawsuits are specialized in nature, it is important to understand that it is in the plaintiff’s best interest to work with attorneys who have already established an interest in these claims.
If you or someone you know has experienced any of the Pradaxa side effects, you should visit the Pradaxa Internal Bleeding Class Action Lawsuit Investigation page. Here you can submit your information to the attorneys who are already actively pursuing Pradaxa lawsuits for compensation. Depending on the severity of yours or your loved one’s Pradaxa side effects, you may be eligible to collect compensation for wrongful death, pain and suffering, economic loss due to missed work, or coverage for your medical expenses.
Updated December 7th, 2012
All medical device, dangerous drug and medical class action and lawsuit news updates are listed in the Drug and Medical Device section of Top Class Actions.
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