July 29, 2014 — Bayer HealthCare and Janssen Pharmaceuticals have been hit with a wrongful death lawsuit involving Xarelto (rivaroxaban), a popular new blood-thinner that has been linked to uncontrollable bleeding.
McGowan is seeking compensatory and punitive damages on behalf of her father. According to the lawsuit:
“Plaintiff seeks compensatory damages as a result of Decedent’s use of the Xarelto, which has caused Decedent to suffer from life-threatening bleeding, as well as other severe and personal injuries, which are permanent and lasting in nature, physical pain and mental anguish, including diminished enjoyment of life and ultimately death.”
Before Xarelto was introduced, the most popular blood-thinning medication was warfarin, a drug that had been on the market since the 1950s. Unlike warfarin, which can be de-activated with Vitamin K, Xarelto has no reversal agent. In a bleeding emergency, it is possible that doctors will be unable to stop bleeding. Lawsuits allege that drug-makers have concealed this information from doctors and patients, putting public safety at risk.