Texas AG Sues Sanofi And Bristol-Myers Over Alleged Failures To Warn About Risks Associated With Blood Thinner Drug

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton escalated his campaign against major drugmakers this week, filing a new lawsuit accusing Sanofi SA (NASDAQ:SNY) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co (NYSE:BMY) of concealing critical information about the effectiveness of their blood-thinning medication Plavix.

According to the complaint, the companies marketed Plavix—also sold generically as clopidogrel bisulfate—as a reliable treatment to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots.

State officials argue the drugmakers failed to disclose that the medication works poorly, or not at all, for a significant share of patients, including many Black, East Asian, and Pacific Islanders.

Also Read: Ken Paxton Alleges Johnson & Johnson Misled Mothers On Tylenol Safety

The lawsuit alleges that this lack of disclosure misled physicians and patients, leading to prescriptions for a drug that was ineffective for many of the people taking it. Texas contends that these actions violate the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act and consumer protection laws.

State prosecutors also claim Sanofi and Bristol-Myers Squibb generated billions of dollars by presenting Plavix as effective while withholding data that raised serious concerns about its performance among certain populations. Paxton argued the companies put revenue ahead of patient safety.

The action comes just a day after Paxton announced a separate resolution involving another set of pharmaceutical companies. On Wednesday, he finalized a $41.5 million settlement with Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) and Tris Pharma following allegations that the companies supplied adulterated medications to children covered by Medicaid.

That case centered on Quillivant XR, an ADHD treatment that state officials say repeatedly failed quality-control testing. In a lawsuit filed in November 2023, Paxton accused Pfizer and Tris Pharma of altering testing procedures to mask manufacturing issues between 2012 and 2018, enabling the companies to continue selling the drug and receive Medicaid reimbursements.

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