Reportedly, Boehringer Ingelheim, the maker of the blood thinner Pradaxa, had two sets of data about the safety of its drug, concealing from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the one that showed a heightened level of fatal bleeding associated with using the drug. The conclusion comes from the release of the pharmaceutical corporation’s internal documents in connection with Pradaxa lawsuits.
Do you know who are among the ones not surprised? Plaintiffs in Pradaxa lawsuits, many of whom have filed suit on behalf of decedents, are not surprised and feeling a sense of vindication. They knew all about Pradaxa.
As of Feb. 19, 2,072 Pradaxa lawsuits were pending before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, where the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation centralized for pre-trial proceedings those Pradaxa lawsuits filed in federal court. Suits also have been filed in several state courts.
The panel on Aug. 8, 2012, consolidated 21 original lawsuits that were filed in 11 federal courts.
“All the actions share common factual questions arising out of allegations that plaintiffs suffered severe bleeding or other injuries as a result of taking the drug Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate) and that defendants did not adequately warn prescribing physicians of the risks associated with Pradaxa, including the potential for severe or fatal bleeding, and that there is no reversal agent to counteract the Pradaxa’s anticoagulation effects,” the panel wrote in its 2012 order that established the multidistrict litigation court. “Centralization will eliminate duplicative discovery; prevent inconsistent pretrial rulings; and conserve the resources of the parties, their counsel and the judiciary.”
Boehringer Ingelheim ought to be ashamed. More importantly, victims ought to be compensated.
With 30 years of experience trying pharmaceutical injury cases such as Pradaxa lawsuits, the hard-working attorneys at Reich & Binstock can be a strong ally for victims and their families.