Xarelto (rivaroxaban) is a blood thinner that was approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2011 to prevent strokes in patients who received hip and knee replacements. In November 2011, the approval was expanded to any patients with atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat). Xarelto has been widely prescribed, with millions of people taking the medication since it entered the market.
Since its approval, there have been numerous reports of increased risk of injury when taking Xarelto, including, but not limited to:
- Brain hemorrhage
- Hemorrhagic stroke
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
These events can be very serious and even life threatening since Xarelto is, by design, not monitored or regulated as closely as warfarin. Moreover, unlike warfarin, there is no antidote for Xarelto to stop uncontrolled bleeding.
Many of the pending lawsuits are centralized in federal court before the Honorable Eldon E. Fallon, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, as part of MDL 2592. Judge Fallon has entered a series of Case Management Orders that will maximize the efficient management of the litigation. The parties have agreed to case management tools that will make it easier to share information, file pleadings and communicate with the court. For example, the Court, along with the plaintiffs’ steering committee, has recently implemented a system known as MDL Centrality, which will enable plaintiffs to quickly share case-related information.
In addition, Judge Fallon recently held a “Science Day” to discuss and familiarize himself with relevant topics such as atrial fibrillation, coagulation and anticoagulation, clinical practice with Xarelto, adverse events with Xarelto and Xarelto pharmacology. These topics, among many others, were presented to the Court by physicians and scientists selected by counsel for both sides in the case.
The attorneys at Stark & Stark continue to pursue all legal redress available in the federal action, as well as state actions in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, for the benefit of its clients that have suffered injuries resulting from their use of Xarelto. If you feel you have experienced any side-effects from taking Xarelto, you can contact Stark & Stark and speak to one of the Mass Tort/Pharmaceutical Litigation attorneys, free of charge, who can help assess any claims that you might have against the manufacturers of Xarelto.