Court Favors Boehringer In Third Pradaxa Bellwether Trial

Court Favors Boehringer In Third Pradaxa Bellwether Trial

Introduction

A Hartford Superior Court ruled in favor of Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals in the third bellwether trial involving claims by a man who suffered bleeding due to the alleged use of blood thinner medication Pradaxa.

The trial for claims brought by the plaintiff in 2016 concluded after a three-week deliberation, and it is the third straight win for Boehringer. The first two trials held in March 2018 and May 2018 also ended in a defense verdict. The next bellwether trial involving claims of health hazards of Pradaxa will begin in February 2019.

Pradaxa was initially approved by the U.S. FDA to be used as a blood thinner, but reports suggest it causes serious injuries and gastrointestinal bleeding, heart attack, stroke, brain hemorrhage, kidney bleeding, and death. Judge Herndon, who overlooked Pradaxa class action lawsuits, recommended a shutdown of the multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 2385) in December 2017 after dismissing pending cases in the docket.