Oxbryta mass torts

Know Your Legal Options If You Took Oxbryta and Experienced Serious Health Complications

Imagine suffering from a painful, incurable disease. Now imagine that one of the prescription medications used to treat or manage this disease had serious side effects, and was potentially lethal. But you had no idea that was the case, so you took the medication – with devastating results.

Sadly, many Americans battling sickle cell disease – a fatal condition affecting red blood cells – say they don’t have to imagine that worst-case scenario. Instead, in lawsuits being filed across the country, plaintiffs who took Oxbryta claim that they are living it.

You may also have legal options if you took Oxbryta (voxelotor) and experienced severe health complications – or if a loved one died after taking this sickle cell drug. Keep reading to learn more.

The Use Of Oxbryta In The Treatment Sickle Cell Disease

According to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA) approximately 100,000 people in the United States have this condition. The organization also estimates that 2,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease each year. Although it is more prevalent among African Americans and Hispanics, sickle cell disease affects people of many different ethnicities.

As the SCDAA explains, sickle cell disease is “an inherited blood disorder in which red blood cells may become sickle-shaped and harden.” These misshapen blood cells then cause blockages triggering numerous symptoms including but not limited to:

• Ongoing, agonizing and irregular pain
• Kidney disease
• Frequent infections
• Stroke
• Fatigue
• Diminished life expectancy

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Made by the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc., and FDA-approved for the treatment of sickle cell disease in 2019, Oxbryta was a daily pill taken every day. It was supposed to improve hemoglobin function, thereby helping the blood carry more oxygen. It was also supposed to prevent the cells from becoming misshapen, which would reduce blockages and lessen pain.

Unfortunately, as one attorney told drugwatch.com, Oxbryta didn’t do what it was intended to do. In fact, she claims, it actually caused more of the problems it was supposed to solve.

Common Oxbryta Injuries

You may have a viable case against Pfizer if you can prove that you experienced any of the following after taking Oxbryta for the treatment of sickle cell disease:

• Arthritis
• Increased vaso-occlusive crises
• Kidney failure
• Liver failure
• Severe infections such as pneumonia
• Blood clots confined to the spleen
• Stroke

You may also have a viable case against Pfizer if you can prove that a loved one died from serious complications after taking Oxbryta for the treatment of sickle cell disease.

Specifically you must have proof that you or your loved one have/had sickle cell disease and that a doctor prescribed Oxbryta to treat the condition. You must also have proof that it was taken as directed, and that death or any of the ailments listed above occurred afterwards.

Is Oxbryta Still Available?

In September 2024, the FDA and Pfizer both announced the voluntary recall of Oxbryta due to safety concerns.

“Pfizer Inc., the manufacturer of Oxbryta, announced it is voluntarily withdrawing the medication from the market, ceasing distribution, and discontinuing all active clinical trials and expanded access programs for Oxbryta because recent data indicate the benefit of Oxbryta does not outweigh the risks for the sickle cell patient population,” the FDA stated in a September 26 press release.

Accordingly, the FDA then recommended that health care professionals should no longer prescribe Oxbryta. The federal agency also recommended that patients and caregivers consult their personal physicians about stopping Oxbryta and starting another treatment option.

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The FDA also explained that the safety concerns arose from “postmarketing clinical trials.” According to the agency, Pfizer reported more incidents of vaso-occlusive crisis in patients with sickle cell disease receiving Oxbryta compared to placebo. A vaso-occlusive crisis or VOC is an episode in which the deformed red blood cells impair blood and oxygen flow to tissues, causing excruciating pain.

More loss of life occurred in Oxbryta treatment group as compared to the placebo group in these postmarketing studies, the FDA said. In fact, 16 clinical trial participants reportedly died while taking Oxbryta.

Legal Grounds For Oxbryta Lawsuits

If one of your family members died after taking Oxbryta, or if you have had severe complications after taking this medication, Van Law Firm may be able to help.

Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now

When you schedule a free consultation, our dedicated personal injury attorneys will assess your specific circumstances to see if you have a viable case. If so, we will determine whether you can sue Pfizer based on design defect, failure to warn, negligence, false and misleading advertising, or other legal grounds.

Don’t leave anything to chance. Contact us to schedule your free consultation today.