Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit on November 21, 2025, accusing Bristol‑Myers Squibb and Sanofi of failing to disclose that the blood‑clot prevention drug Plavix is less effective for many patients, especially those of Black, East Asian, and Pacific Islander descent.
The complaint alleges that the companies knowingly withheld information about the drug’s limited efficacy, a claim that violates Texas’ Deceptive Trade Practices‑Consumer Protection Act. Paxton seeks civil damages of up to $10,000 for each violation and a court order requiring full disclosure to patients and regulators.
Plavix has been a cornerstone of both companies’ portfolios. Before its patent expired, the drug generated roughly $9 billion in global sales annually. After generic competition entered the market, sales fell to about $2.4 billion in 2014, and the drug is projected to generate around $1.5 billion worldwide by 2030. The lawsuit follows a $700 million settlement with the state of Hawaii in May 2025, after a judge had initially awarded $834 million for similar allegations.
The Texas suit seeks damages that could reach hundreds of millions of dollars, depending on the number of alleged violations. Paxton’s complaint also requests a court order that forces the companies to provide patients and healthcare providers with clear, evidence‑based information about the drug’s efficacy profile and the genetic factors that affect its performance.
Bristol‑Myers Squibb and Sanofi have responded that they will vigorously defend the lawsuit, asserting that the scientific evidence supports Plavix’s safety and effectiveness for all patients. The companies have previously appealed the Hawaii ruling, calling it unsupported by law and inconsistent with trial evidence.
The lawsuit poses a significant risk to the companies’ financial performance and reputation. A judgment could reduce Plavix’s market share, accelerate the shift to newer antiplatelet agents such as ticagrelor and prasugrel, and increase regulatory scrutiny of the companies’ marketing practices. Management has emphasized that Plavix has helped millions of patients for over 25 years and remains a standard of care, but the legal action underscores the growing pressure on pharmaceutical firms to provide transparent, population‑specific efficacy data.
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