Turn on any TV or radio station in the San Antonio area and you will quite possibly be subjected to commercials touting the qualities of various prescription drugs. Pharmaceutical companies invest huge sums of money in marketing campaigns aimed at getting their products into the hands of consumers. Because of these campaigns, the companies have a legal obligation to ensure all claims made in their advertisements are accurate. They also must take measures to safeguard against putting any defective drugs out for public consumption.
At present, the drug company responsible for the blood thinner Xarelto is contending with a lawsuit brought by the niece of a woman who used their product. The woman is claiming that her aunt was killed due to her use of the drug. Named as defendants in the suit are Bayer Corp. and Janssen Research & Development.
The woman alleges that the two companies willfully put forth misleading information in the course of marketing Xarelto to the public. It was their powerful marketing effort, the suit claims, that led to 130,000 prescriptions for the drug being written in the United States. The suit further asserts that the drug is defective, and its ingestion, even for brief time periods, can lead to an increased likelihood of potentially fatal bleeds.
As a means of support, the claim cites data from a nonprofit medical safe practices organization. The organization reports that the generic version of Xarelto, rivaroxaban, is the suspected cause of more than 350 cases of fatal or serious injuries.
The suit is seeking to obtain punitive damages for a variety of causes including the unreasonable marketing of a dangerous drug, wrongful death and fraud.
An effective marketing campaign is one that convinces people that an advertised drug can improve their lives. But when pharmaceutical companies stress sales over safety, users of their products can end up seriously harmed or even killed.
If you believe a defective or dangerous drug has injured either you or a family member, you have recourse to seek accountability and compensation. Consulting with an attorney who is familiar with the process of legally engaging with pharmaceutical companies can be an important first step toward receiving compensation for your undue suffering.
Source: Medical Daily, “Blood Thinner Xarelto Blamed For Deaths And ‘Serious Injuries’ In Lawsuit,” John Ericson, April 14, 2014