The long-awaited results of a Canadian study looking at the effects of Trasylol were published in the New England Journal of Medicine today. Results of the 2007 study show that patients given Trasylol had a 54% higher risk of death than patients using similar drugs.

Shocking results

The results of the Canadian study, known as BART (Blood Conservation using Antifibrinolytics in a Randomized Trial), have long been awaited by many in the medical community as the study had to be terminated because too many Trasylol patients were dying. News of the aborted study is what prompted Bayer to finally take the drug off the market in late 2007.

Researchers monitored over 2,300 patients who were at high risk of bleeding or had multiple health problems. These patients were randomly selected to receive Trasylol or two other anti-bleeding drugs, Amicar and Cyklokapron, during heart surgery.

The results were even more shocking than most could have imagined. Patients who were given Trasylol had a 54% higher risk of death than those who were given the other drugs. In addition, six percent of Trasylol patients died within 30 days of surgery – compared to four percent for the other drugs. Although that might not seem like a big difference at first glance, it becomes significant when applied to a large population.

Bayer should have acted sooner

According to Doug Kreis, a Florida attorney whose practice represents those who have been injured by harmful drugs such as Trasylol, Bayer should have acted sooner. He told us:

The Canadian BART study supports what we have believed all along, being the following – that the risks associated with Trasylol are simply unacceptable. Bayer knew about these risks for many years, but failed to warn consumers, physicians and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Had Bayer acted responsibly by removing Trasylol from the market sooner, putting patient safety over profits, perhaps thousands of lives might have been spared.

The truth of the matter is that Bayer made a fortune off of Trasylol. It’s been reported that single injections of Trasylol cost between $1,000 and $1,500 when similar drugs that worked just as well cost around $50. Therefore, the company was reluctant to listen when the medical community began reporting that Trasylol patients seemed to have a higher risk of death than those on similar, and less expensive, drugs.

If you or a loved one may have been injured or died due to the use of Trasylol, contact an attorney whose practice focuses in this area of law to discuss your situation. The consultation is free and without obligation. To contact a qualified attorney, please click here.