Hawaii Attorney General Files Plavix Lawsuit

The attorney general for the state of Hawaii has filed a lawsuit against pharmaceutical manufacturers Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis, the makers of the blood-thinning drug Plavix. Attorney General David Louie claims that a large portion of the state’s residents have shown difficulties in processing the drug through their systems. The Plavix lawsuit alleges that the drug shows little to no beneficial effect on residents of Pacific Islander or East Asian descent, while they still suffer from serious side effects and other complications.

How Plavix Works

Plavix, also known by the generic name Clopidogrel, has been prescribed to thousands of patients as a blood thinner. Plavix prevents the clumping of platelets, the cells responsible for the formation of blood clots. Patients who have had heart attacks or strokes are prescribed Plavix to prevent the formation of blood clots that can block major arteries, especially those in the heart and brain, and reduce the risk of a second coronary blockage. A special enzyme in the liver metabolizes the drug and allows its active contents to flow through the bloodstream, but the Plavix lawsuit alleges that a significant portion of the state’s population lacks that vital enzyme.

Plavix Side Effects

Since Plavix prevents blood from forming clots, patients also risk excessive bleeding while taking the medication. The Hawaii Plavix lawsuit, as well as other similar suits in other states, allege that the drug can lead to internal bleeding, external hemorrhaging and other dangerous conditions. Plavix is also thought to contribute to nosebleeds, bruising, and abdominal pain due to bleeding in the stomach and intestines. In some cases, patients on Plavix have experienced blood in their stool and urine.

Claims Against Plavix

The Hawaii Plavix lawsuit states that over 1 million of the state’s residents have been prescribed the drug since 1998. The manufacturers have reportedly earned millions of dollars from those prescriptions, with much of those funds coming through Hawaii’s Medicare and Medicaid systems. Since nearly half of the state’s residents are of Pacific Islander or East Asian ancestry, they may lack sufficient quantities of the liver enzyme needed to metabolize Plavix. Although the attorney general did not report any deaths attributable to the drug, the Plavix lawsuit did cite the “diminished effectiveness” of the drug for the state’s residents and that those who continue to take the drug are at higher risk for internal bleeding.

Hawaii Joins 4 Other States

Hawaii became the fifth state to file a Plavix lawsuit against the manufacturers. The attorneys general for Louisiana, Mississippi, West Virginia and California have also filed suits against Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis. The manufacturers were also part of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice concerning its disclosures to the Food and Drug Administration about the varying responses to the drug.

Know Your Rights

To find out how we can help you with your Plavix lawsuit, contact us today at 1-888-252-4668 and our intake team will quickly connect you to a Plavix lawsuit attorney, or fill out the “Free Case Review” form at the top of this page.