Pradaxa Lawyers Meeting To Review Litigation Over Bleeding Problems

Lawyers representing individuals throughout the United States who are pursuing a Pradaxa lawsuit, after experiencing severe bleeding problems allegedly caused by the newer anticoagulant, will be meeting on Wednesday in Baltimore to discuss the developing litigation.

The American Association for Justice (AAJ) is holding a member’s seminar for Pradaxa lawyers representing plaintiffs-only, which will take take place at the Baltimore Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel on April 11, 2012.

The seminar is designed to help lawyers representing plaintiffs and those who are considering taking cases. Information will be shared about Boehringer Ingelheim, the manufacturer of the drug, and presenters will explain the science behind the side effects of Pradaxa, which have been linked to an increased risk of serious and potentially fatal hemorrhages and other complications.

Pradaxa (dabigatran) was just introduced by Boehringer Ingelheim in the United States in October 2010, and it has already been linked to hundreds of deaths, mostly from bleeding events.

Concerns over deaths linked to Pradaxa have sparked safety investigations in the U.S., Europe and Canada, as well as a number of lawsuits over Pradaxa filed on behalf of individuals who allegely experienced problems on the medication.

Although Pradaxa was promoted as a superior alternative to Coumadin (warfarin) for prevention of strokes among individuals with atrial fibrillations, complaints allege that Boehringer Ingelheim failed to adequately warn that there is no reversal agent for Pradaxa, which may increase the consequences of bleeding that can occur while on the drug.

Pradaxa was the first approved anticoagulant from a new class of medications, known as “direct thrombin inhibitors,” which inhibit the enzyme in the blood that causes blood to clot. The medications have quickly grown in popularity, because they are easier to use than Coumadin, which requires more frequent monitoring. However, while users of Coumadin who suffer internal bleeding can be treated with Vitamin K to counter the blood thinning effects, Pradaxa and the other newer blood thinners in the same class do not have a quick fix.

The first federal Pradaxa bleeding lawsuit was filed last month, and dozens of additional claims have been brought in courts throughout the United States since then. In addition, the litigation is expected to continue to grow as Pradaxa lawyers continue to evaluate and file claims on behalf of individuals who experienced bleeding problems.