Xeljanz and its counterpart Xeljanz XR were first approved in 2012 by the FDA to treat adults with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ulcerative colitis. However, in recent years, Xeljanz manufacturer, Pfizer, has come under fire for the drugs ability to increase the risk of a blood clot or death when taken at specific doses.

What is Xeljanz?

Xeljanz and Xeljanz XR are both drugs designed to tackle the symptoms of various forms of arthritis and ulcerative colitis. After receiving approval by the FDA in 2012, Pfizer went on a massive spending spree to market their new drug to doctors and patients around the United States.

The drug, tofacitinib, works by blocking certain enzymes in the human body that affects how the immune system responds to rheumatoid arthritis. These enzymes are called JAK enzymes, which are responsible for DNA transcription.

Soon in 2017, the drug was approved to treat patients with active psoriatic arthritis. Then in 2018, Pfizer made a move to expand the drugs scope by offering to those suffering with ulcerative colitis.

Why Lawsuits Against Xeljanz Now?

Since Xeljanz is designed to oppress a patient's immune system, the drug carries multiple adverse side effects. A recent FDA safety alert clearly stated that consuming Xeljanz at certain levels can lead to increased risk of blood clots in the lungs and death, something that Xejanz had never conveyed to doctors or patients.

The drug itself was only ever studied on animals, not humans. Multiple follow up studies have concluded that taking Xeljanz at high doses of 10mg or more twice per day significantly increased a patient's risk of a blood clot or stroke, which could lead to death.

Reports soon began to emerge of adverse side effects from the drug. One of the most severe side effects of Xeljanz was the increased chance of a blood clot within your lungs. This is medically referred to as a pulmonary embolism, which kills nearly 50,000 people in the United States each year.

Pfizer was required by the FDA to conduct follow up trials as part of the approval process. The study began in 2014 with 4,400 participants. It was found that those who took 10MG Xeljanz twice every day were 5x more likely to suffer from a blood clot in the lung than those who took 5MG Xeljanz twice per day.

Pfizer, a multinational pharmaceutical giant, designed Xeljanz with serious and unnecessary side effects that can be dangerous. Current lawsuits charge that Pfizer’s poor conduct as a large pharmaceutical company should make it liable for the damage it has caused.

Final Note

As one of the worlds largest pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer is now being held accountable for failing to warn the public of the dangers behind Xeljanz. If you or a loved one have used Xeljanz and have suffered any adverse side effects, the team at USA Consumer Network can help. Let our team connect you with an attorney for a 100% free consultation on your options for compensation against Xeljanz.