AVA Law Group is currently investigating cases on behalf of individuals injured after taking Xeljanz or Xeljanz XR. The FDA recently found the rheumatoid arthritis drug increases users’ risk of developing blood clots in the lungs and death. If you take 10mg of Xeljanz twice a day for your rheumatoid arthritis, you are at a higher risk of serious side effects including death.
If you or a loved one has taken Xeljanz/Xeljanz XR and have experienced severe side effects, contact AVA Law Group today. You may be entitled to a cash award by filing a claim against the drug’s manufacturer.
In a postmarketing study, researchers discovered the popular rheumatoid arthritis drug increased risk of blood clots in the lungs, which could potentially lead to a pulmonary embolism or death.
Xeljanz (tofacitinib) is a prescription medication used to treat rheumatoid arthrits, ulcerative colitis, and psoriatic parthritis (PsA) in adults. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disorder, causes inflammation of the joints and impacts about 1% of the population. People struggling with RA experience pain, swelling, and loss of joint function, requiring the need for medication treatment to ease the pain. Typically doctors prescribe tofacitinib to patients with RA who do not react well to alternate medicines used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, like methotrexate. Xeljanz was approved by the FDA in 2012 to treat rheumatoid arthritis in adults.
The FDA approved Xeljanz for treating active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in December 2017. That approval expanded May 2018 to include using the medication to treat moderate to severe active ulcerative colitis, as well. Xeljanz is typically given in 5mg per day doses to treat arthritis and at 10 mg per day doses for ulcerative colitis treatment.
Since its release in 2012, Xeljanz’s manufacturer, Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company, has generated steadily increasing profits from the RA drug every year. It’s estimated that about 1% of the population has used or currently uses Xeljanz for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Currently, Pfizer’s Xeljanz sales generate well over $1 billion annually and continue to grow.
In a postmarketing study conducted by Pfizer, researchers discovered Xeljanz increases risk of blood clots in the lungs, which could lead to pulmonary embolism or death.
In the study, patients taking 10mg of Xeljanz twice daily for rheumatoid arthritis had an increased risk of pulmonary embolism and dying than users taking the same dose for ulcerative colitis. The FDA has not approved the use of 10mg, twice-daily doses of Xeljanz to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
Xeljanz users may be at risk of the following side effects:
A pulmonary embolism (PE) happens when blot clots occur in the lungs, restricting blood flow and decreasing oxygen levels. This can permanently damage lungs and other organs and can often be a fatal condition.
Pfizer announced their results February 19, 2019, which were later verified by the FDA February 25. Now, Xeljanz must carry a “boxed” warning label, the FDA’s strongest warning label, about Xeljanz blood clot risk. The FDA recommends for patients to contact their doctors immediately if they have a history of blood clots or heart problems.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) backed up the FDA’s findings, as well, in their press release on March 20. The EMA warned European healthcare professionals to not go over the recommended dose of Xeljanz due to patients’ increased risk of developing blood clots in the lungs and death.
Patients experiencing the following symptoms from taking tofacitinib should seek medical attention immediately:
If you or a loved one developed blood clots while taking Xeljanz or died, contact AVA Law Group immediately. Through a filing a product injury claim, you may be entitled to compensation for your Xeljanz side effects.
Individuals across the U.S. are filing lawsuits against Pfizers for Xeljanz side effects including pulmonary embolisms, deep vein thrombosis, strokes, blood clot injuries, and wrongful deaths. By filing a claim, injured individuals may be compensated for medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and much more.
At AVA Law Group, our goal is to make the process of achieving justice as painless for you as possible. We take the hassle out of filing a claim so you can focus on healing and recovering from your injuries. We provide free, no-obligation case evaluations to help you determine whether you may be eligible for financial compensation. We pursue cases on a contingency fee basis, which means there are never any out-of-pocket costs to hire one of our lawyers. We only receive a fee once a settlement or recovery is reached. To learn more and connect with our experienced injury attorneys, call 1.866.428.2529.
