May 28, 2014 - Boehringer Ingelheim has agreed to pay $650 million to settle the Pradaxa lawsuits against the company. The Pradaxa lawsuits alleged the drug caused internal bleeding in some users. There were more than 2,300 Pradaxa lawsuits consolidated in the Pradaxa Products Liability Litigation MDL in the Southern District of Illinois. Pradaxa has annual sales in the United States in excess of $2 billion and has been linked to more than 1,000 deaths according to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices.
Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate mesylate) is an anti-coagulant drug prescribed as an alternative to warfarin and is used to prevent stroke in patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. Over 2.6 million Americans suffer from atrial fibrillation, and many now take Pradaxa as part of their daily pharmaceutical regimen. Since 2011, the safety of this drug has been under examination, as reports of internal bleeding have surfaced in great numbers. Patients who have chosen to take Pradaxa to prevent one life-threatening problem were unknowingly exposing themselves to another serious risk as a result. The families of those who took Pradaxa and then suffered a severe internal bleeding event, such as gastrointestinal internal bleeding or hemorrhagic stroke, have filed lawsuits against Boehringer Ingelheim to pursue compensation for damages and loss. This page provides the latest information on the status of Pradaxa lawsuits and other Pradaxa attorney news.