Multidistrict Litigation Consolidation Sought for Pradaxa Lawsuits

A motion has been filed before the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation requesting for consolidation of all pending and future product liability lawsuits against Pradaxa into an MDL docket. This would allow a coordinated effort by those who were injured and the families of those that have passed away to hold manufacturer Boehringer Ingelheim accountable. Pradaxa (dabigatran) is an oral blood thinner in class of drugs called direct thrombin inhibitors, prescribed after hip and knee surgery and to prevent strokes among patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (a kind of irregular heartbeat). The manufacturer has acknowledged over 260 fatal bleeding events related to Pradaxa use between March 2008 and October 2011.

The anticoagulation effects of Pradaxa could have permanently disabling, life-threatening and fatal consequences.

The motion reads: “In their direct to consumer advertisements, Defendants overstated the efficacy of Pradaxa with respect to preventing stroke and systemic embolism and failed to adequately disclose to patients that there is no reversal agent or adequate means by which to reverse the anticoagulation effects of Pradaxa, and that such irreversibility could have permanently disabling, life-threatening and fatal consequences.”

Pradaxa was recently labeled as a blockbuster drug with over $1 billion in annual sales, but it has seen its share of problems. Some serious adverse events linked with Pradaxa have been reported to be brain hemorrhaging, gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, kidney bleeding, and other significant bleeding events. Doctors have reported events where elderly people have fallen and sustained bleeding episodes that could not be stopped due to the presence of the drug in the patient’s blood. The reported problem with Pradaxa is that it is difficult or impossible to stop bleeding complications in patients because there is no known simple and effective reversal agent to counteract the blood-thinner.

If this coordinated MDL docket is approved, it would make it easier and faster for victims of Pradaxa bleeding events to seek accountability from the manufacturer and collect compensation for their injuries. If you or a loved one has experienced an adverse reaction or a bleeding event that was exacerbated due to Pradaxa use, do not hesitate to contact an experienced Pradaxa lawyer by filling out the free form on the right to see if you are eligible to join in the litigation. You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.