Xarelto (Rivaroxaban) Drug Side Effects Class Action Lawsuit

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**NOTICE OF AUTHORIZATION OF A CLASS ACTION**

TO: All persons residing in Quebec who were prescribed and have ingested the drug XARELTO® (rivaroxaban) since 2008, and their successors, assigns, family members, and dependants [the “Class”].

On July 22, 2020, the Superior Court of Quebec authorized a class action in the judicial district of Montreal in the case of Gagnon vs. Bayer Inc. et al., court file no. 500-06-000732-152. The Representative Plaintiff is seeking compensatory and punitive damages against Bayer Inc. and other related entities (the “Defendants”) on behalf of the Class based on, inter alia, the allegation that the Defendants failed to warn against the risk of serious and irreversible bleeding allegedly associated with the use of the drug XARELTO®. The Defendants deny the allegations.

In deciding the merits of these claims, the Court will be called upon to answer the following common questions of law or fact:

1. Were the Defendants negligent in failing to provide a reasonable warning that XARELTO could cause serious and irreversible bleeding?

2. Does the manner in which the Defendants obtained market authorization for XARELTO or the manner in which they marketed XARELTO justify an award of punitive damages?

The Court has not yet ruled on the merits of the class action, nor on any compensation that may be awarded to class members.

As a class member, you have the right to intervene in the present class action, in the manner provided for by law. As a class member or an intervener, you cannot be called upon to pay the costs of the class action.

If you wish to remain a class member, you have nothing to do. If you wish to opt-out, you have until December 17, 2020 to advise in writing the Registry (Greffe) of the Superior Court of Quebec, District of Montreal, at 1 Notre-Dame Street East, Montreal, Quebec, H2Y 1B6, by regular mail. A copy of your written opt-out should also be forwarded to Class Counsel (see coordinates below). If you do not exclude yourself from the class action, you will be bound by any judgment that is rendered in this case, whether successful or not. Please make sure to mention file no. 500-06-000732-152 in your correspondence. For further information, you may contact Class Counsel listed below or visit the Registry of class actions website at https://www.registredesactionscollectives.quebec/en.

The publication of this notice to class members has been approved and ordered by the Superior Court of Quebec.

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CONSUMER LAW GROUP has launched a Quebec class action lawsuit against the makers of Xarelto (Rivaroxaban), marketed and sold in Canada by Bayer who have suffered a bleeding event after taking the anticoagulant drug.

- Xarelto is approved to treat deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, and is sometimes prescribed following hip or knee replacement

- Xarelto has been linked to complications including intestinal bleeding, rectal bleeding, blood clots, brain hemorrhaging, pulmonary embolism, and deep vein thrombosis

- Unlike warfarin, there is no known antidote to stop bleeding caused by this medication

The makers and marketers of XARELTO continues to fail to warn consumers, healthcare professionals and the public:

a. Of the serious and significant risk of serious, severe and irreversible bleeding complications;

b. That in the event of a bleeding complication, there is no antidote to reverse it; and

c. That people taking XARELTO should closely and frequently monitor their blood;

The class action lawsuit identifies the group of affected persons as:

All persons residing in Quebec who have taken and/or purchased the drug, RIVAROXABAN (sold under the brand name XARELTO) since 2008, and their successors, assigns, family members, and dependants, or any other group to be determined by the Court;

The Food and Drug Administration received 680 reports of adverse events in Xarelto users in 2013, according to Digital Journal. Meanwhile, in Bayer’s home country of Germany, the newspaper Der Spiegel reported that, between January 2012 and September 2013, Xarelto was linked in Germany to 130 deaths along with 1,700 serious complications. According to news reports, Xarelto may be responsible for 1,400 deaths.

The most serious problem associated with Xarelto and similar medications is fatal hemorrhaging. When a patient on the medication starts bleeding from even a minor injury (including a bump on the head), there is virtually no way to stop it.

The reason for this lies in the drug’s mechanism of action. Blood coagulation is dependent on the action of Vitamin K (naturally occurring in leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage) in order to produce the clotting agent thrombin. Warfarin disables Vitamin K, so any serious bleeding can be halted with high dosages of this vitamin. Xarelto prevents the production of Vitamin K altogether; therefore, once a patient starts hemorrhaging, there is virtually no way to stop it.

Other potentially serious side effects include diarrhea, arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), tachycardia (racing heartbeat) and wide, sudden changes in blood pressure. Though not always life-threatening, these symptoms can be serious if the patient does not receive prompt medical treatment.

Xarelto patients also report burning or itching/tingling sensations on the skin, numbness and back pain. Additional side effects include lower gastrointestinal or bladder problems, difficulty in swallowing, headaches and dizziness and weakness or pain in the extremities. Some patients have experienced fainting and muscular spasms.

If you or a member of your family have used the drug Xarelto and were subsequently injured, and you wish more information on potential compensation or to be kept advised of the status of the Xarelto (Rivaroxaban) Drug Side Effects Class Action litigation or any resulting compensation from the Xarelto (Rivaroxaban) Drug Side Effects Lawsuit in Canada, Quebec or Ontario, please provide your contact information to our law firm using the below form.

IF YOU WISH TO JOIN THE CLASS ACTION OR TO SIMPLY GET MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW. Please note that providing your information creates no financial obligation for you. You are not charged any fee or cost for joining this class action. Our law firm is paid a contingency fee from the compensation recovered, only if the class action is successful. All information contained in this transmission is confidential and Consumer Law Group agrees to protect this information against unauthorized use, publication or disclosure.