Two Frequently Asked Questions About the Xeljanz Lawsuits

7/26/2022

Xeljanz belongs to a class of drugs known as Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors. As Pfizer explains, our body has signaling proteins called cytokines that regulate immune system responses. The production of cytokines is increased when our body fights infection. Cytokine production is thought to play a role in chronic inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. Xeljanz disrupts signaling that produces some of the cytokines, reducing inflammation. Specifically, Xeljanz blocks—or inhibits—the release of cytokines in the JAK signal pathway. Xeljanz has been approved for several different uses, including: rheumatoid arthritis; psoriatic arthritis; ulcerative colitis; and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

When the FDA first approved Xeljanz in 2012, it ordered a post-marketing Xeljanz safety study known as ORAL Surveillance. But rather than confirming the safety of Xeljanz, the post-marketing Xeljanz Study revealed serious safety concerns and has led to new health alerts and warnings. In February 2019, the FDA warned that the ongoing Xeljanz safety trial found an increased risk of taking Xeljanz and developing blood clots in the lungs and death. In July 2019, the FDA announced that it had approved new warnings about thrombosis and death in patients treated with a 10 mg twice-daily dose of Xeljanz. The next major safety news to come out of the Xeljanz post-marketing study was equally concerning. The FDA alerted the public in February 2021 that preliminary results showed an increased risk of Xeljanz and cancer. With that background, here are answers to two frequently asked questions in the Xeljanz Lawsuits.

How Dangerous Is Xeljanz?

Xeljanz, while marketed as a safe medication, increases the risk of blood clots, cancer, and cardiovascular problems for its users. The FDA approved the drug upon release, but a post-marketing safety study revealed serious safety concerns and concluded that the side effects are more detrimental than initially believed. The company responsible for the medication, Pfizer, knew about the side effects prior to the safety study but failed to disclose this information to the public in an attempt to retain their profits. This unethical behavior exposed thousands of consumers to an elevated risk of harm, making their actions unacceptable

How Long Can You Stay on Xeljanz?

Anyone who is currently using Xeljanz should speak with their doctor about terminating their prescription to avoid the dangerous Xeljanz side effects. Not only will they help you stop the drug, but they can also advise you on safe medication alternatives for your condition.

Unfortunately, some users of Xeljanz have developed cancer as a result of their medication use, including but not limited to lymphoma, melanoma, and lung cancer. Pfizer, already knowing the risk of the Xeljanz side effects, sold it to consumers anyway, causing many innocent individuals to develop and suffer from a life-threatening disease. Their reluctance to disclose the risk of their product is not just unethical, it is illegal, and we are here to help hold them accountable to the full extent of the law.

Call a Xeljanz Lawyer Today

If you took Xeljanz and developed Xeljanz side effects, including taking Xeljanz and Developing Blood Clots or cancer, contact Xeljanz Lawyer Timothy L. Miles today for a free case evaluation.

Timothy L. Miles

T imothy L. Miles is a nationally recognized shareholder rights attorney raised in Nashville, Tennessee. Mr. Miles was recentely selected by Martindale-Hubbell® and ALM as a 2022 Top Ranked Lawyer, 2022 Top Rated Litigator. and a 2022 Elite Lawyer of the South. Mr. Miles also maintains the AV Preeminent Rating by Martindale-Hubbell®, their highest rating for both legal ability and ethics. Mr. Miles is a member of the prestigious Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers: The National Trial Lawyers Association, a superb rated attorney by Avvo, a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award by Premier Lawyers of America (2019) and recognized as a Distinguished Lawyer, Recognizing Excellence in Securities Law, by Lawyers of Distinction (2019). Mr. Miles hs publeshed over sixty articles on various issues of the law, including class actions, whistleblower cases, products liability, and more.