Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation's Pradaxa Causes a Side Effect Flap in New Zealand

Three months after New Zealand’s pharmaceutical management agency agreed to place the new Pradaxa bloodthinner on its formuarly, the Boehringer Ingelheim drug is being linked to two deaths and reports of dozens of elderly patients suffering bleeds. And some doctors say the Pharmac agency may have put lives at risk by funding Pradaxa before more was known about managing side effects. At the time Pharmac placed Pradaxa on its formularly without any restrictions, the agency called the drug a “game changer” and estimated the cost would be about $155 million over five years, although this would likely be reduced by confidential rebates (see this). Now, though, the Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring has received around 50 reports of people experiencing bleeding, according to The Sunday Star Times.