A new report by CBS’s 60 Minutes news program revealed that more than 22,000 Trasylol-related deaths could have been prevented had the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) been more proactive.

Trasylol is a prescription medication given to heart patients to reduce bleeding during cardiovascular surgery.  On the market for more than 14 years, Trasylol was given to approximately one-third of all heart bypass patients in the United States. In November 2007, the FDA issued a worldwide suspension of Trasylol sales following a Canadian study reporting a link with life-threatening side effects. Trasylol is produced by Bayer Pharmaceutical Company, and has served as one of the pharmaceutical giant’s most profitable drugs.

In early 2006, Dr. Dennis Mangano published a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that discovered similar results to that of the Canadian study. To further investigate these claims, Bayer conducted their own study that also confirmed kidney problems and other adverse side effects with Trasylol use. During a meeting with the FDA in September 2006, Bayer knowingly concealed these study results in hopes of preventing a mandatory recall. More than a year later, the FDA further investigated reports of death, heart attacks, kidney failure and stroke in Trasylol users before issuing a suspension of the drug.

Research conducted by 60 Minutes concluded that more than 22,000 deaths could have been prevented had the FDA taken action more quickly and issued a recall. In addition, members of the FDA advisory panel stated they would have voted to recall the drug had they known the results of the concealed studies.

If you or someone you love has endured harm due to Trasylol, you are entitled to receive compensation. The attorneys of Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis and Overholtz have advanced experiencing in filing defective drug claims and winning rightful compensation for victims. To learn more about filing a Trasylol lawsuit, contact AWKO at (888) 255-2956.