If you or a loved one suffered a vaso-occlusive crisis, stroke, organ damage or death after taking Oxbryta (Voxelotor) for sickle cell disease or sickle cell anemia, you may be entitled to compensation from an Oxbryta lawsuit case or settlement claim.
A team of drug injury attorneys and class action lawyers is investigating potential Oxbryta lawsuit and settlement cases involving individuals who suffered a vaso-occlusive crisis or sickle cell crisis, including stroke, organ damage or death, after taking Oxbryta for sickle cell disease.
Oxbryta (voxelotor) is an oral, once-daily prescription medication (a hemoglobin S polymerization inhibitor) that was used to treat patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) or sickle cell anemia (a group of inherited blood disorders affecting about 100,000 Americans that changes the shape of hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen in red blood cells and causes them to change from being round and flexible to a rigid and sticky sickle or crescent shape, leading to slow or blocked blood flow).
Unfortunately, in September of 2024, the FDA issued a safety alert that Oxbryta was being withdrawn from the market by Pfizer, the manufacturer, due to safety concerns as data indicated that the benefit of Oxbryta did not outweigh the risks. According to the FDA, various clinical trials and/or studies reported a higher rate of vaso-occlusive crisis and more deaths amongst patients with sickle cell disease receiving Oxbryta compared to placebo (i.e., those not receiving Oxbryta).
A vaso-occlusive crisis (sickle cell crisis) is a severely painful medical emergency caused by sickled red blood cells blocking blood flow and oxygen delivery to tissues, potentially causing, among other things, debilitating pain all over the body, including the back, abdomen, chest, and arms, stroke, organ damage and, in some cases, death.
Oxbryta Recall Lawsuit & Settlement Cases
Oxbryta recall lawsuit and settlement cases potentially being investigated include claims involving individuals who, after taking Oxbryta (voxelotor) for sickle cell anemia, suffered from a vaso-occlusive crisis or sickle cell crisis and/or other injury, including:
- Vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC)
- Increased vaso-occlusive crises
- Sickle cell crisis
- Sickling crisis
- Acute chest syndrome
- Stroke
- Blood clots
- Organ damage
- Kidney failure
- Hepatic failure
- Severe pain
- Ischaemia
- Restriction of blood supply
- Necrosis (tissue or bone death)
- Arthritis
- Priapism
- Dactylitis (inflammation of fingers or toes)
- Vision loss
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Splenic sequestration
- Sleep apnea
- Leg ulcers
- Jaundice
- Infections
- Pneumonia
- Hospitalization
- Death
- Other Oxbryta injury lawsuit cases
Plaintiffs in the Oxbryta lawsuits may allege, among other things, that they or their loves ones suffered from vaso-occlusive crisis and related complications (such as stroke, organ damage, death, etc.) after taking Oxbryta and that defendant knew or should have known about the risks of Oxbryta but did not provide an adequate warning. The Oxbryta lawsuit complaints may assert claims for, among other things, negligence, strict liability, breach of warranty, and violation of various state statutes. Defendants in the Oxbryta lawsuits may include manufacturers, sellers and/or distributors of Oxbryta, such as Pfizer.
Vaso-Occlusive Crisis (VOC) Signs & Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) can include:
- Severe pain
- Back pain
- Chest pain
- Pain in leg(s)
- Pain in arm(s) or feet
- Dull, sharp or throbbing pain
- Acute chest syndrome
- Swelling of hands
- Swelling of feet
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Burning sensations
- Abnormal feeling in skin (paresthesia)
- Extreme fatigue
- Fever
- Infections
- Other sickle cell crisis symptoms or signs
Procedures and tests used by physicians to diagnose a vaso-occlusive crisis or sickle cell crisis can include a patient history, physical exam, laboratory tests (including complete blood count, reticulocyte count, urinalysis, comprehensive metabolic panel, kidney function tests, liver function test, etc.), and imaging tests (e.g., CT scans), among others.
A vaso-occlusive crisis generally consist of four phases which last about 5 to 7 days (though not all patients experience all four phases and not all patients experience the phases in the same order with the same frequency, severity, or duration). Phase 1 of a sickle cell crisis (known as the prodromal phase) is characterized by low-intensity aching pain, with possible tingling or numbness, and it typically lasts about three days or so. Phase 2 of a sickle cell crisis (called the initial phase) is characterized by a rapid increase in acute pain associated with the beginning stages of tissue death. Phase 3 of a vaso-occlusive crisis (referred to as the established phase) is characterized by constant severe pain (and often fever) as a result of continued tissue death and the body’s inflammatory response to dying tissue and often lasts three to five days. Phase 4 of a vaso-occlusive crisis (known as the resolving phase) is characterized by the resolution of the crisis which can last a few days or more.
Sickle Cell Crisis Treatment
Treatments for sickle cell crisis can include pain relief medications (such as analgesics), supplemental oxygen, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, warm compresses, IV fluids to hydrate the body, blood transfusion, cognitive behavioral therapy, and antibiotics for infections, among other treatments.
Time Is Limited To File An Oxbryta Recall Lawsuit
Deadlines known as statutes of limitation and statutes of repose can limit the amount of time that individuals have to file an Oxbryta injury lawsuit to try to recover compensation for injuries they may have suffered (e.g., sickle cell crisis or vaso-occlusive crisis, stroke, organ damage, kidney failure, or death) after using Oxbryta to treat sickle cell disease.
This means that if an Oxbryta recall lawsuit claim is not filed before the appropriate deadline or limitations period, the injured party may be barred from ever pursuing litigation or taking legal action regarding their Oxbryta injury claim. That is why it is important to connect with an Oxbryta injury lawyer or attorney as soon as possible.
If you or a loved one have suffered sickle cell crisis, stroke, organ damage, kidney failure, or death after taking Oxbryta for sickle cell anemia, you may be entitled to recover compensation from an Oxbryta lawsuit case or settlement claim. Contact a drug injury lawyer to request a free case review.
*If you or a loved one are experiencing health issues, side effects or complications after taking a prescription drug or medication, we urge you to promptly consult with your doctor or physician for an evaluation.
**The listing of a company (e.g., Pfizer) or product (e.g., Oxbryta) is not meant to state or imply that the company acted illegally or improperly or that the product is unsafe or defective; rather only that an investigation may be, is or was being conducted to determine whether legal rights have been violated.
***The use of any trademarks, tradenames or service marks is solely for product identification and/or informational purposes.
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