Texas AG sues Sanofi, Bristol Myers over alleged Plavix inefficacy

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies Sanofi (SNY) and Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) for failing to disclose that their drug Plavix “did not work effectively for certain patients.” Plavix, whose generic form is clopidogrel bisulfate, is intended to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots by helping stop platelets in the blood from clumping together. However, the companies failed to warn patient-consumers and their prescribing physicians that Plavix had diminished or no effect for many patients, particularly Black, East Asian, and Pacific Islander patients. Defendants’ deceit resulted in patients being prescribed a medication that was substantially inadequate or inappropriate, in violation of the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act. Defendants made billions off of Plavix by falsely marketing its product as effective and hiding information that showed its diminished performance in patients, according to the office of AG Paxton. The lawsuit alleges that Sanofi’s actions are in clear violation of Texas’s Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act and consumer protection laws. “It’s despicable how Big Pharma puts lives at risk by refusing to be honest with patients,” said Attorney General Paxton. “We are going to make Sanofi and Bristol-Myers Squibb pay a heavy cost for their utter lack of regard or concern for Americans and the company’s clear violations of Texas law. Every healthcare and pharmaceutical company should be put on notice that anyone who endangers the health of Americans absolutely will be held accountable.”