Why 5,000 People Are Suing Over Plavix

Legal action is apparently moving forward involving lawsuits filed by thousands of people who say they suffered serious injuries by taking the once-heralded blood-thinning drug Plavix. The California Supreme Court ruled late last month that eight product liability lawsuits against Plavix manufacturer Bristol-Myers Squibb and Plavix distributor McKesson Corporation can proceed in San Francisco Superior Court. Those eight cases involved 678 plaintiffs. They may soon be joined by a multitude of other cases, involving about 5,000 plaintiffs, that have been filed around the country. There is no word yet on whether Bristol-Myers Squibb or McKesson will appeal the California high court's decision. Officials at both companies did not respond to Healthline requests for an interview for this story. The case against Plavix Plavix, also known by its scientific name clopidogrel, was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1997. The drug is a blood thinner used to reduce the risk of blood clots. It is prescribed to people who have a higher risk of cardiovascular problems, such as heart attacks or strokes. In the past, Bristol-Myers Squibb touted Plavix as being more effective than aspirin in preventing clots and reducing the risk of heart attacks. The medication was a profitable one for more than a decade, reaching sales of $7 billion in the United States in 2011. At that juncture, it was the top selling drug in the country. Sales dropped dramatically in 2012 ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news