Birth Defects from Xarelto

Posted by Lawsuit Information on August 6th, 2015

Xarelto is a dangerous blood thinning drug that has been linked to serious birth defects when taken by pregnant mothers. There is not yet sufficient studies on just how dangerous this drug is to pregnant mothers because it is unethical to test drugs on humans. However, in animal testing this drug has been shown to cause miscarriages, bleeding in mothers and low fetal weight.

The FDA has rated this drug a category C which means it has been shown to cause fetal harm in animal tests. The only higher rating would be a category D but because it is unethical to do tests on humans, there is insufficient data so far to classify the drug as this.

If you took Xarelto while you were pregnant are taking it and considering becoming pregnant, there are some things you need to know. Xarelto is the marketed name for rivaroxaban which is quite possibly the most dangerous blood thinner on the market. Mother’s taking this drug are at serious risk for pregnancy hemorrhage. The biggest issue with this drug that is intentionally being kept from doctors and patients is that there is no antidote for uncontrolled bleeding.

Essentially this drug is an anticoagulant which is given to help reduce the risk of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis which can lead to stoke. However, this drug thins the blood and when bleeding occurs, it cannot be stopped internally. This had led to many deaths and lawsuits because patients were never told that there is no antidote to stop bleeding.

Other blood thinners like Warfarin that have been on the market much longer do have an antidote (Vitamin K is the one for Warfarin) and therefore the risk of uncontrolled bleeding is less severe. The drug stays in the system at least 24 hours and longer in older people. The drug manufacturer Bayer is the subject of countless lawsuits over this dangerous drug. The company that markets the drug is called Janssen Pharmaceuticals which is a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson.

Unfortunately is is nearly impossible to hold these companies accountable for producing dangerous drugs. The problem is that there is insufficient testing done before they hit the market and often the tests are misrepresented to make a profit. The drug companies are able to make so much money before the drug is pulled from the market that the penalties they received from the lawsuits are just a small portion of their profits which enables them to keep producing new drugs constantly.

Obviously the more people come forward and file lawsuits, the better the public’s chances are of getting justice in this system of greed and complete disregard for human welfare. Speak to a qualified lawyer for a free review of your case to see if you may be eligible to file a lawsuit or join a class action lawsuit. You may be eligible for the expenses you incurred for medical costs, financial burdens from time away from work as well as emotional trauma and other loss.