Tasigna Atherosclerosis Lawsuit News

Novartis Fails To Warn The U.S. Medical Community About The Side Effects of Tasigna

It is well-documented that Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis AG knew that Tasigna caused atherosclerosis and deliberately kept the information from the American medical community

Monday, December 11, 2017 - Tasigna (nilotinib) belongs to a pharmacologic class of drugs known as kinase inhibitors (and,) is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in chronic phase." Tasigna was developed to replace the company's other chemotherapy drug Gleevec whose patent was expiring in 2015. Swiss drug manufacturer Novartis AG earns approximately 4.5 billion dollars per year globally, more than half coming from the U.S. anti-cancer chemotherapy market.

Novartis AG, the maker of the anti-cancer drug Tasigna, may have failed to warn the American Cancer medical community of a life-threatening side effect with the potential to cause sudden death. Reports have come to light and studies have confirmed that anti-cancer chemotherapy drug patients have reported 277 cases of atherosclerosis and peripheral artery disease after receiving Tasigna.

A wrongful death Tasigna lawsuit was filed in 2016 against Novartis AG by Kristi Lauris alleging that the company knew of the deadly side effects of Tasigna as early as 2011 and failed to warn the American medical community or cancer patients on the drug. The suit was filed on behalf of a California man who died suddenly from a stroke due to atherosclerosis after taking Tasigna. Atherosclerosis is the fatty build up of plaque within the arterial walls that lead to major organs in the body, lessening the flow of vital, nutrient and oxygen-rich blood. When the plaque hardens a chunk can break loose causing 100% blockage in the artery and immediate death from a heart attack or paralysis or death from a stroke. The plaintiff had no prior history of heart disease. When his chemotherapy medication was switched from Gleevec to Tasigna, symptoms of atherosclerosis immediately developed. After the plaintiff died it was revealed that an angiogram showed 100% blockage in the femoral artery and the arteries in both knees.

Approximately 300 cases of atherosclerosis were reported to Health Canada from 2005 to 2013, prompting the Canadian government to issue a safety warning for those taking or prescribing Tasigna. Doctors were warned to closely monitor patients for symptoms of the heart disease before, during, and after Tasigna treatments. The Canadian health warning never made its way to the United States and oncologists continued to prescribe, and specialty pharmacies continued to dispense the drug, refilling existing Gleevec prescriptions with Tasigna. The Lauris/Tasigna lawsuit cites this warning as evidence that Novartis AG intentionally hid the atherosclerosis link from the American medical community. Not only was the risk of Tasigna kept from doctors, Novartis AG drug marketing reps encouraged the US sale of Tasigna and rewarded pharmacies that sold the most with cash illegal incentives and other promotions. As a result of these and other illegal U.S. drug marketing schemes, Novartis AG agreed to pay the U.S. Department of Justice $390 million to settle a $3.7 billion federal lawsuit.

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Lawyers for Tasigna Atherosclerosis Lawsuits

Attorneys handling Tasigna lawsuits for leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma offer free, no-obligation case review for individuals and families who believe they may have grounds to file a Tasigna lawsuit. Working on a contingency basis, these attorneys are committed to never charging legal fees unless they win compensation in your Tasigna lawsuit. The product liability litigators handling Roundup claims at the Onder Law Firm have a strong track record of success in representing families harmed by dangerous drugs and consumer products.