A Bloomberg report says German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH is now facing more than 150 lawsuits over claims that the company sold the blood thinner Pradaxa despite being aware that it could cause potentially deadly bleeding.
Plaintiffs’ lawyers say the company will probably end up facing thousands more lawsuits in coming years. According to the story, the drug has been linked to more than 500 U.S. deaths over a two-year period.
Pradaxa, unlike older blood thinners, has no antidote to reverse its effects. That in turn can lead to what the story calls “bleed-out deaths.”
The story includes an interview with Harold Asher, whose 72-year-old wife died of internal bleeding after taking Pradaxa for three months. Doctors were unable to stop her hemorrhaging.
Asher says he never thought to ask why his wife’s doctors prescribed Pradaxa after she recovered from a stroke, rather than keeping her on older blood thinners.
He’s quoted as saying: “My generation, you do what your doctor tells you. You don’t ask any questions.”
Bloomberg says Pradaxa has generated more than $1 billion in sales worldwide for Boehringer.
You should consult with a doctor if you have any ongoing symptoms or health concerns, and before making any changes in medication. You should also consult with a lawyer if you have injuries connected with Pradaxa.
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