Tasigna Atherosclerosis Lawsuit News

Tasigna Replaced Gleevec Under Fraudulent Circumstance

It seems as though a drug company will do anything to protect billions of dollars in profits, and view lawsuits as just another cost of doing business

Friday, May 18, 2018 - If you are suffering from the life-threatening adverse side effect of anti-leukemia chemotherapy drug Tasigna you may qualify to file a claim against its maker, Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis, AG. Patients that have been given Tasigna experience all of the traditional chemotherapy side effects such as nausea, vomiting, temporary hair loss, lethargy, open sores on the body and in the mouth that will not heal and many more symptoms. All of these symptoms will go away in the weeks after chemotherapy ends and Novartis AG, maker of Tasigna has been forthcoming warning patients of what to expect except for one significant detail. Novartis forgot to warn the medical community in the US that Tasigna causes atherosclerosis and can leave a cancer patient with the loss of their toes, foot or lower leg, paralyzed by a sudden stroke, or worst of all, dead due to an unexpectedly sudden heart attack. Patients that have developed atherosclerosis, peripheral artery disease (PAD), or have had other heart or blood chemistry complications can receive real compensation for their suffering and hold the company accountable for their considerable misdeeds.

Novartis' original anti-cancer drug Gleevec was wildly successful both in terms of helping cancer patients make it to remission and also a financial windfall for the company. In 2015, Gleevec's multi-billion dollar market share was about to vanish due to the drug's patent expiring when Novartis rushed Tasigna, a Gleevec replacement drug to market. In order to save its business, Novartis marketing representatives offered specialty pharmacists cash bonuses and other illegal financial incentives such as sales contests to automatically refill Gleevec and generic prescriptions with Tasigna. In addition, phony Tasigna educational programs were set up and doctors were paid speaking fees to further promote the drug. Chemotherapy drugs make up the bulk of specialty pharmacy sales. Generic drug competition was already taking a bite out of Gleevec sales and these drugs were just as effective and about one-tenth of the cost.

The FDA allowed Tasigna to be immediately brought to market without the usual testing as Novartis was able to show that Tasigna was substantially similar to Gleevec. In selling Tasigna rather than the prescribed Gleevec or generic brands, pharmacists violated the False Claims Act allowing Medicare and medicare payment to be collected under false pretenses. The US Department of Justice sued Novartis for $1 billion for this violation and settled for a payment of $390 million. The company admitted that their sales representative falsely marketed the drug as being more effective than Gleevec or the other competition and they failed to disclose the atherosclerosis side effect, one that was known to the company years ago.

In 2011 Novartis warned Health Canada that there were cases of atherosclerosis and related diseases caused by Tasigna. The warning never made it to the US medical community.

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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.