Plavix Lawsuits Increase as Statute of Limitations Looms

Plavix lawsuits are expected to steadily increase as the statute of limitations (SOL) for many injured by the blood thinning drug looms in the distance. Anyone whose experienced Plavix side effects such as heart attack, stroke or any other injury is urged to contact a Plavix injury lawyer – before it’s too late.

Plavix Litigation Heats Up

Plavix litigation is heating up as thousands of injured victims are taking their cases to court in order to beat the statute of limitations deadline – which for many may be in early 2012. Plavix (Clopidogrel Bisulfate), the blood thinner manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis, is commonly prescribed for patients at risk of heart attacks. Although many Plavix lawsuits are currently pending in New Jersey state court, Plavix injury attorneys predict that thousands more may be filed within the next 6 to 8 months as the statute of limitations (the time in which a lawsuit must be filed) soon approaches.

The 2012 date is important because the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Plavix black box warning in March of 2010 to alert healthcare providers and users that the drug can be less effective in people who cannot metabolize the drug to convert it to its active form by the liver enzyme known as CYP2C19. As a result, users subject to a two-year statute of limitations would have to file a Plavix injury lawsuit by March 2012.

How many Plavix users have been affected is still in question. However, it is estimated that the number may be high as many Plavix lawsuits point to clinical trials that concluded that between 2 and 14 percent of the population cannot metabolize Plavix. The result is that many Plavix users who think they are reducing the risk of heart attack, unstable angina, stroke and cardiovascular disease may not be getting any benefit and are at an increased risk of injury.

Plavix Lawsuit Allegations

Plavix lawsuit allegations generally include, but are not limited to:

• failing to warn about the increased risk of dangerous Plavix side effects such as heart attack, stroke and potentially fatal blood disorders;
• deceiving consumers that Plavix may not be any better than aspirin;
• over-marketing Plavix by defying FDA warnings beginning in 1998 not to market it as better than aspirin (it was marketed as “super-aspirin”).

As a result, thousands of consumers may have been injured physically, emotionally and financially. The latter is of particular concern as one Plavix pill costs about four dollars, while an aspirin costs about four cents. Many consumer advocates and Plavix injury lawyers say that the company’s profits – nearly $8 billion a year in sales – were based on claims that the drug does more than aspirin, but really does not.

Hiring a Plavix Lawyer

If you’ve been injured by Plavix or haven’t received the benefits promised, you owe it to yourself and your family to consult with an experienced lawyer to discuss your situation and determine whether or not you might be entitled to compensation. However, it is in your best interests to act quickly so that your statute of limitations doesn’t run out.