Benicar Lawsuits

Benicar is a drug used to treat high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. In some cases, using Benicar has caused unintended and severe side effects. If you experienced complications from using Benicar, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against the drug manufacturer.

People filing Benicar lawsuits are seeking compensation for lost wages, medical expenses and a lowered quality of life. As of 2015, most of these personal injury claims are being consolidated in multidistrict litigation in New Jersey.

Since 2002, the manufacturer of Benicar marketed the drug as a safe, and even superior, way to treat high blood pressure. This was before a Mayo Clinic study revealed issues with the product.

In 2013, the Mayo Clinic showed that Benicar was responsible for causing a condition called sprue-like enteropathy.

Some patients who experienced these side effects even required hospitalization. One man spent 100 days in the hospital from complications caused by Benicar.

Some patients who experienced these side effects even required hospitalization. One man spent 100 days in the hospital from complications caused by Benicar.

Unfortunately, many people experiencing side effects from Benicar don’t know the drug is to blame. It can take months or years of taking Benicar before you see any symptoms of intestinal damage.

Japanese pharmaceutical company Daiichi Sankyo is the manufacturer of Benicar. Lawsuits hold Sankyo responsible for the damage caused to people taking the drug.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initially approved Benicar for treating high blood pressure in 2002. But over a decade later, the FDA issued warnings about the drug and accused Daiichi Sankyo of misleading consumers.

These warnings came about as a result of the 2013 Mayo Clinic study that linked Benicar to 22 patients with intestinal complications.

There weren’t any initial warning signs that Benicar could cause chronic diarrhea and intestinal damage when the drug was approved. Plaintiffs say this is due to a lack of thorough drug testing on the part of the manufacturer.

Plaintiffs in Benicar lawsuits further claim that Daiichi Sankyo failed to fully warn consumers about the risks of taking Benicar. Yet, the manufacturer spent over $1 billion promoting Benicar between 2002 and 2008, according to a legal complaint filed in New Jersey.

Daiichi Sankyo Sued by the U.S. Government

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) started litigation against Daiichi Sankyo for its neglect to protect consumers. In 2015, the drug manufacturer agreed to pay a settlement of $39 million for violating the False Claims Act.

The DOJ alleged that Sankyo had paid kickbacks to physicians who promoted Benicar, an illegal action that compromises the integrity of a medical professional’s judgment.

These kickbacks came in the form of speaker fees and lavish dinners. The speaking events and Sankyo-funded dinners, which sometimes priced out at $140 a plate, were forums for doctors to persuade their peers to prescribe Benicar.

Legal Complaints Against Benicar

People have filed lawsuits against Daiichi Sankyo for a number of reasons tied to the manufacturer’s neglectful marketing of Benicar.

The drug manufacturer has received complaints for:

• False and misleading advertising that omitted or minimized the risks of Benicar
• Investing heavily in meetings with doctors to promote the drug
• Failing to conduct the necessary clinical trials to fully test the safety of Benicar
• Not suggesting a limit on the length of time people should take Benicar
• Being aware of the drug’s potential risks and failing to warn consumers