If you’re on blood thinners you need to read this

Blood thinning drugs have become an every day part of many of our lives. But, a new drug that has been on the market for over five years has been identified as extremely dangerous as the manufacturer failed to disclose safety information to customers.

According to the ABC, blood-thinning drug Pradaxa has been associated with 280 deaths and 1,400 adverse drug reactions in the last five years including cases like abdominal bleeding, brain haemorrhages, strokes and heart attacks.

The ABC compared it to other popular drug, Warfarin which has been linked to 30 deaths and 270 reactions over the same period.

Last week, a British Medical Journal investigation found that Pradaxa manufacturers withheld analysis of the drug in fear that it would affect sales.

The study found that it would be safer to use Pradaxa while having blood levels monitored. To pay for their failure to disclose this information, the manufacturers will be paying out over $650 million to settle 4,000 lawsuits across the US.

The study was lead by Dr Deborah Cohen who said, “The key allegation here is the company had an opportunity to make [Pradaxa] far safer and it declined that opportunity because of marketing. To be blunt, the company had put marketing ahead of safety.”

The ABC reported that the Therapeutic Goods Association has conducted two safety reviews of Pradaxa since it was first approved. A spokeswoman said that the TGA considered the new articles and there is no new information that could change the benefits and risks of the drug.

The use of Pradaxa is still deemed safe, although the lack of information disclosed has done little to secure a positive reputation for the drug.

Would you consider changing medications based on this information? Have you used Pradaxa? 

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.