Product News and Recalls

New Study: Xarelto May Be Dangerous for Pregnant Women

xarelto may be harmful to pregnant mothersXarelto has long been associated with severe bleeding, but according to a new study, the popular blood thinner may also pose a risk to pregnant women and their unborn babies. The study, published last month by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, examined the way in which rivaroxaban (Xarelto) is transported across the placenta of a pregnant woman.

Current Xarelto lawsuits focus on the risk severe bleeding, which Bayer and Janssen Pharmaceutical allegedly knew about but did not tell doctors. Plaintiffs in Xarelto lawsuits claim that the blood thinner can lead to potentially fatal bleeding in the brain, intestines, or rectum. Furthermore, Xarelto has no known antidote to combat serious bleeding, unlike other blood thinners such as warfarin, which can be treated with vitamin K. Xarelto lawsuits allege that Xarelto’s manufacturers did not adequately test their product before release, and that certain side effects were downplayed or concealed from patients and doctors in the interest of sales.

These Xarelto lawsuits were consolidated earlier this year in a multidistrict litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisianna.

During pregnancy, certain nutrients and waste products are transferred between the fetus and the mother’s body. In the new study, Toronto researchers utilized an ex vivo placenta model to analyze the movement of Xarelto across the placental “barrier.” They found that there was “rapid transfer of rivaroxaban across the human placenta in both the maternal-to-fetal and fetal-to-maternal directions.” According to the researchers, only a small, unbounded portion of the drug passes across the placenta—around 5 percent of the concentration present. The study concludes that more research needs to be done to assess the safety of administering Xarelto to pregnant women.

If you or someone you know experienced a severe bleeding event after taking Xarelto, contact the offices of Lopez McHugh now for a free legal consultation with an experienced Xarelto lawyer. You may be eligible to receive compensation through a Xarelto lawsuit.