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Zoloft Birth Defect Bellwether Trials

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As part of the early discovery process, select Zoloft birth defect cases will be the first trials to be heard in court. The outcome of these bellwether trials, set to begin on October 13, 2014, will potentially set a precedent for the remaining cases. However, the involved parties are in disagreement over how the Zoloft lawsuits should be chosen.

Zoloft (sertraline) was approved by the FDA in 1992 to treat depression and is currently one of the most widely prescribed SSRI anti-depressants in the country. Zoloft has been prescribed to tens of millions of people, however the FDA raised concerns about its safety in November 2006 when the agency added a warning that women were at a six times greater risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns if they took the drug after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

A link between a risk of brain defects and gastrointestinal abnormalities and the use of anti-depressants, such as Zoloft, in early pregnancy was reported in June 2007. A September 2009 study published in the British Medical Journal found that the risk of heart defects increased when Zoloft was taken in the first trimester.

The plaintiffs allege that they were not adequately informed of potential risks, and that the drug manufacturer, Pfizer, was negligent in producing and marketing an unsafe drug. Some of the deformities alleged by plaintiffs include holes in the heart, clubfeet, spina bifida, skull defects, cleft palates and persistent pulmonary hypertension. However, all of the Zoloft birth defect lawsuit filings share similar claims-that, when taken during pregnancy, the anti-depressant caused fetal malformations.

To better handle litigation, the 430 similar Zoloft lawsuits were consolidated into a multidistrict litigation and centralized in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in April 2012 and are presided over by U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe.

Pfizer and plaintiff attorneys have agreed that the 25 cases in the “Initial Discovery Pool” should be narrowed down to 13 cases chosen by Pfizer and 12 cases chosen by leadership-appointed plaintiff attorneys. Both parties also agree that the “Trial Pool” should consist of six cases, three chosen by each side.

However, Special Discovery Master Andrew A. Chirls recently reported that the parties disagree on how to narrow down the cases. Pfizer wants to select which cases to pursue after the plaintiffs pick their cases. The attorneys feel that in order to be fair, the picks need to be made simultaneously. Furthermore, Pfizer recommends that each side prepare only one case for the October 13, 2014 trial date in order to save money. Meanwhile, the attorneys for the plaintiffs intend to prepare all selected Trial Pool cases at once. In the meantime, the Discovery Master is allowing the parties to disagree until further negotiations can take place.

Zoloft Lawsuit Attorneys

If your baby was born with a birth defect after you took the dangerous drug Zoloft during pregnancy, it is important to know that you are not alone. The national Zoloft lawsuit attorneys at Phillips Law Firm can help. We represent patients across the United States who have been injured or hurt after taking a dangerous drug. If you are interested in learning more about your legal options, call us at 1-800-708-6000. Our Zoloft lawsuit attorneys are waiting to assist you 24/7, offering a free case evaluation. Remember our no fee promise. If we do not recover anything for you, you do not owe us an attorney fee.

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Zoloft Pregnancy Side Effects

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On June 28, 2013, a new Zoloft side effects lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. A Florida woman has filed the lawsuit against Phizer, Zoloft’s manufacturer, alleging that side effects from the drug caused her baby to be born with congenital birth defects. The U.S. Judicial Panel recently consolidated the increasing number of Zoloft birth defects lawsuits into a multidistrict litigation (MDL). An MDL encourages the parties to settle all their disputes at once, and helps to eliminate conflicting rulings from multiple forums.

Zoloft heart defects lawsuit facts and allegations

On September 11, 2006, the plaintiff gave birth to her baby with severe heart defects. Among other heart defects, doctors diagnosed the baby with Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) and Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), most commonly referred to as “holes in the heart.” While it is normal for there to be small openings between the heart’s left and right upper chambers and between certain blood vessels in the heart during fetal development, these openings did not close properly. If left untreated, the baby could experience strokes, heart failure and other serious heart defects. It is not uncommon for pregnant women to be prescribed sertraline, the chemical name for Zoloft. Yet as early as 1996, just five years after the FDA approved Zoloft, researchers discovered a link between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants and various congenital heart defects. A 2006 study in the New England Journal of Medicine and a 2009 Danish study confirmed these findings. The various lawsuits filed allege that Phizer has consistently refused to acknowledge the possibility of a link between Zoloft and heart defects. While there is a generic warning in the drug packaging that pregnant women “should not take Zoloft before consulting their physician”, it mentions nothing about the known link between Zoloft and birth defects. The plaintiff is seeking unspecified damages for medical bills, loss of consortium and punitive damages. She alleges that Phizer knowingly committed various wrongful acts, including failure to warn, design defect, negligence and fraud. Phizer continues to adamantly defend the safety of its SSRI antidepressant, Zoloft, even in the face of mounting lawsuits and adverse evidence.

Zoloft Lawsuit Attorneys

If you or someone you love has taken Zoloft during pregnancy and given birth to a baby with heart defects or congenital defects, we can help. The national Zoloft lawsuit attorneys at Phillips Law Firm represent injured patients across the United States. We are not afraid to fight the large pharmaceutical companies and medical corporations who continue to put profits before patient safety. If you are interested in learning more about your legal options, call us at 1-800-708-6000. Our Zoloft lawsuit attorneys are waiting to assist you 24/7, offering a free case evaluation. Remember our no fee promise. If we do not recover anything for you, you do not owe us an attorney fee.

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Zoloft May Lead to Autism

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In-utero exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) has been “associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorders, particularly without intellectual disability”, according to a Swedish study conducted this spring. Other research had previously indicated a correlation between a mother’s use of these drugs during pregnancy and birth defects and a serious lung condition found in newborns. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, drugs in the class of SRRIs include, Paxil, Celaxa, Lexapro, Prozac, Luvox, Viibryd and Zoloft (sertraline hydrochloride). Researchers in the U.K. documented the autism study and published the findings in the April 19 edition of the British Medical Journal. However, experts at the University of Bristol associated with the study admit that their observations in Sweden warrant further study. Zoloft, a Phizer product, was approved in 1991. At that time, physicians lacked the knowledge to be able to warn their female patients so that they could have avoided the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). New information about the increased risk of PPHN did not surface until about seven years ago. While more research on the autism connection waits, Zoloft’s label does warn of its apparent risk of lung disease by stating: “Infants exposed to SSRIs in pregnancy may have an increased risk for persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) [which] is associated with substantial neonatal morbidity and mortality.” The FDA says that, babies suffering from PPHN “have high pressures in their lung blood vessels and are not able to get enough oxygen into their bloodstream.” And now, as if the PPHN risk was not enough, a researcher based in Helsinki, published a study in December showing a link with Zoloft and increased risk of newborn “omphalocele, anal atresia, limb-reduction defects, cardiac septal defects and anencephaly.” Many class action lawsuits for Zoloft and similar SSRI-related actions have been filed and more are expected to be filed.

Zoloft Lawsuit Attorneys

If your child was diagnosed with autism and you took the dangerous drug Zoloft during your pregnancy, it is important to speak with a Zoloft lawsuit attorney immediately. The national Zoloft lawsuit attorneys at Phillips Law Firm can help. If you are interested in learning more about your legal options, call us at 1-800-708-6000. Our national Zoloft lawsuit attorneys are waiting to assist you 24/7, offering a free case evaluation. Remember our no fee promise. If we do not recover anything for you, you do not owe us an attorney fee.

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Zoloft Leads to Devastating Birth Defects

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There are approximately 330 Zoloft birth defect lawsuits currently pending against Pfizer in federal multidistrict litigation (MDL). This MDL was established in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania to streamline the litigation process for the numerous lawsuits involving children who have suffered Zoloft birth defects. The first bellwether trials are set to begin in 2014, but the selection process for choosing the bellwether trials has already begun. Following discovery and pretrial proceedings, the first bellwether trial is set to begin September 12, 2014.

The families who filed these Zoloft birth defect lawsuits all claim that their child was born with a severe birth defect after the mothers took Zoloft during pregnancy. Zoloft is a SSRI drug that is often taken to combat depression. Complaints allege that Zoloft increases the risk of delivering a child with birth defects.

One study that was cited monitored 10,000 infants who were born with birth defects and 6,000 healthy babies. The study found that women who took Zoloft had twice the risk of having a baby born with a serious heart defect. Since then, numerous studies have linked Zoloft to a variety of congenital birth defects, including:

  • Clubbed Foot
  • Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate
  • Autism
  • Pulmonary Atresia
  • Pulmonary Stenosis
  • Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
  • Coarctation of the Aorta
  • Tetralogy of Fallot
  • Skull Defects and Malformation
  • Neural Tube Defects
  • Anal Atresia
  • Spina Bifida
  • Gastrochisis
  • Delayed Development

Perhaps even more devastating to these families and their children is that the lawsuits allege that Pfizer knew of these increased risks but did not provide sufficient warnings to the general public, expecting mothers, and their physicians.

Zoloft Lawsuit Attorneys

If your child was born with a birth defect after you were prescribed the dangerous drug Zoloft, it is important to speak with a Zoloft lawsuit attorney immediately. The national Zoloft lawsuit attorneys at Phillips Law Firm can help. If you are interested in learning more about your legal options, call us at 1-800-708-6000. Our national Zoloft lawsuit attorneys are waiting to assist you 24/7, offering a free case evaluation. Remember our no fee promise. If we do not recover anything for you, you do not owe us an attorney fee.

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Zoloft No Better Than a Sugar Pill

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A new lawsuit has Zoloft manufacturer, Pfizer, in the hot seat. According to plaintiff Laura Plumlee and her counsel, the drug Zoloft is as effective as a placebo or sugar pill. Their case is being tried in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Plumlee claims that she took Zoloft for three years without any noticeable impact on her depression. While these claims are not extraordinary, it seems that Pfizer may have withheld clinical studies that disputed its effectiveness. This alleged withholding of information now has Pfizer in hot water.

Pfizer of course denies these serious charges and has stated that “the lawsuit filed in California is groundless and is based largely on information….that has been widely criticized by many experts in the mental health field.”

The new lawsuit accuses Pfizer of consumer fraud and other serious criminal offenses, including paying prominent doctors to recommend Zoloft to colleagues. If Pfizer is found guilty of withholding clinical trial information, this could have serious ramifications for the company and for consumers across the country. Antidepressants are the 9th most popular type of prescribed medicine and annual sales top $20 billion worldwide.

Zoloft: More Harm than Good?

Zoloft is already under scrutiny after the FDA warned that using Zoloft during pregnancy could lead to serious birth defects. In addition, Zoloft is known to lead to suicides and overdoses, making it a very serious and dangerous drug. Unfortunately, more than 37 million people in the United States are currently using Zoloft to treat mental conditions, such as depression. These serious lawsuits and recent allegations have caused many in the medical field to question the effectiveness of antidepressants on people with mild to moderate depression.

Zoloft Lawsuit Attorneys

If you or someone you love has been harmed after taking the dangerous drug Zoloft, it is important to know that you are not alone. The national Zoloft lawsuit attorneys at Phillips Law Firm can help. We represent patients across the United States who have been injured or hurt after taking a dangerous drug. If you are interested in learning more about your legal options, call us at 1-800-708-6000. Our Zoloft lawsuit attorneys are waiting to assist you 24/7, offering a free case evaluation. Remember our no fee promise. If we do not recover anything for you, you do not owe us an attorney fee.

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Zoloft Lawsuits Highlight The Danger Of Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy

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Psychology professionals and people who suffer from chronic, bipolar, or general depression will tell you that the ailment should not bar women from going on with their lives, creating families and doing all of the normal activities that their peers are engaging in. However, this leads to a deeper debate as to whether the mother should remain on her antidepressant regimen.

It was only in the last decade that the public has been informed that the most common antidepressants, serotonin reuptake antidepressants (SSRIs) like Zoloft, cause birth defects. In 2006 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent out a warning and later imposed on Zoloft their most stringent warning, the black box warning, regarding the danger of Zoloft and birth defects.

Birth Defect Research

Recently, a research paper was published in the British Medical Journal. It reported that taking paroxetine (Paxil) and sertraline (Zoloft) during the second half of a woman’s pregnancy could more than double the risk that babies will develop persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN).

PPHN affects about 1 in 1,000 newborns. It has been found that more than double that number of newborns of mothers taking antidepressants in the second half of their pregnancies. It is defined as high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs, essentially causing the right ventricle of the heart, which is the main provider of oxygenated blood, to work harder, potentially causing heart failure.

This is a serious ailment and in his article Antidepressants and pregnancy: What to do now, famed psychiatrist, Dr. Keith Ablow gave some recommendations for patients on SSRIs:

1) Women considering pregnancy should try to stop or not to start antidepressants. If the patient requires treatment for depression, they should try psychotherapy or transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS).

2) Women who find themselves pregnant while already taking antidepressants should talk to should doctor about very slowly stopping them, but only if you can do so safely, without severe symptoms of depression returning.

3) Never stop antidepressants all of a sudden. This can cause serious symptoms that affect the patient and her unborn child.

4) Do not stop antidepressants during pregnancy if the patient has become suicidal while depressed in the past and antidepressants have been necessary to ward off thoughts of suicide.

5) While many obstetricians and many primary care doctors are comfortable treating depression, Dr. Ablow believes it is best to be seen by a psychiatrist if the patient is taking antidepressants and want to have a baby.

Zoloft Birth Defect Lawsuits

Zoloft has been on the market for far longer than 2006 however. It was introduced in 1991 by global pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and has enjoyed billion dollar sales since. These new research revelations and warnings by the FDA findings have inspired many parents of PPHN victims who took Zoloft during pregnancy to review the situation that lead to the injury or death of their child.

A growing number of women have found that Zoloft has potentially played a part in the birth defects found in their children either currently alive or deceased. They have done this through the aid of an experienced attorney like those at Phillips Law Firm, who are able to research and extract the right documents and evidence from the correct sources. This has lead to a move towards a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) class action lawsuit.

On January 18, Pfizer filed a motion to consolidate all federal Zoloft birth defect lawsuits. Pfizer requested that they be centralized before one judge for pretrial litigation as part of a multidistrict litigation, or MDL. Currently there are 59 lawsuits alleging Zoloft birth defects involving common claims and questions of fact.

The company, lawyers, and plaintiffs alike prefer the class action system because it expedites and simplifies the process. Pfizer suggested New York because it’s near their headquarters and allows their economic impact on the area to sway the local jury. The company asked the U.S. Judicial Panel to create a Zoloft MDL in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. However, the majority of the complaints are in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where at least 48 of lawsuits are pending.

The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation is expected to hear oral arguments on the motion during a hearing scheduled to occur on May 31, 2012, at the E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse in Washington, D.C.

Filing a Zoloft Lawsuit In Washington State

Evidence has not yet presented itself, but there is a suspicion by current plaintiffs that Pfizer may have potentially known about this birth defect issue prior to the FDA warning and chosen not to reveal it to physicians, the FDA, and patients. This sort of revelation could be a major deciding factor in this case.

 

However, the lawsuits focus mostly on the birth defects, which include:

  • PPHN
  • Heart defects
  • Lung defects
  • Abdominal defects
  • Cranial defects
  • Limb malformations

Just because the majority of the lawsuits are based in Pennsylvania does not mean that it is not potentially a national class action. This means that women effected by Zoloft birth defects in Washington State are still eligible to seek justice and compensation for pain and suffering of both them and their child both alive or deceased.

National Zoloft Attorneys

If you have found that you or a loved one has had a child with a birth defect and they were taking Zoloft during pregnancy, they may be entitled to compensation. It is important that you contact legal council that has experience in protecting patients from giant pharmaceutical companies. Call Phillips Law Firm for a consultation on your legal options.

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Zoloft Lawsuits Over Birth Defect Side Effects Come To Washington State

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Since 1992, the global pharmaceutical behemoth Pfizer has been offering the antipsychotic/antidepressant drug Zoloft to the public. It was initially approved for the treatment of panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). It was later approved for treatment of long-term treatment of pediatric OCD. Zoloft also is the only Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) approved for the long-term treatment of PTSD.

This highly versatile drug is prescribed to nearly 30 million people worldwide each year. Over the past decade alone, Zoloft has been used for more than 10.2 billion patient days of therapy worldwide. This is an amazing amount of prescriptions in proportion to the amount of research done. Much of that research is sponsored by Pfizer in order to expand the drug’s roll in society. Unfortunately, little of the research has gone into one of its worst side effects, birth defects.

Zoloft Side Effects

Depression is very common in pregnant women as their hormones rage out of control. This is exacerbated by the fact pregnancy is accompanied with weight gain and serious life changes furthering feelings of anxiety. Even though Zoloft is accompanied with a black box warning regarding adolescent suicide, it is not accompanied with a warning of birth defects.

Listed Zoloft side effects:

  • Decreased appetite or weight loss
  • Diarrhea or loose stools
  • Dizziness
  • Drowsiness
  • Dry mouth
  • Headache
  • Increased sweating
  • Nausea
  • Stomach or abdominal cramps, gas, or pain
  • Tiredness or weakness
  • Trembling or shaking
  • Trouble sleeping

Zoloft and Birth Defects

However, there is research coming out that there are potentially serious birth defects associated with Zoloft. Some of these birth defects are apparent and detectable at the time of birth, some are less apparent and may manifest later, particularly effects on the heart.

Potential Zoloft Birth Defects:

Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN) – This happens when the newborn’s circulation has not made the normal transition from fetal circulation to normal newborn circulation, because pressure in the lungs is increased and this causes distress.

Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) – An atrial septal defect (ASD) is a hole in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart. Large and long-standing atrial septal defects can damage the heart and lungs. An adult who has had an undetected atrial septal defect for decades may have a shortened life span from heart failure or high blood pressure in the lungs.

Tetralogy of Fallot – This is a problem with the heart’s structure that’s present at birth. Congenital heart defects change the normal flow of blood through the heart.

Transposition of the Great Arteries – Transposition of the great arteries is a rare heart defect present at birth, in which the two main arteries leaving the heart are reversed (transposed).

Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome (HRHS) – This is the underdevelopment of the right sided structures of the heart. These defects cause inadequate blood flow to the lungs and thus, a blue or cyanotic infant.

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome – Hypoplastic left heart syndrome occurs when parts of the left side of the heart do not develop completely.

National Zoloft Lawyers

One of the most horrific things that can happen to a person is to watch their newborn child struggle in intensive care, and through life, knowing that it could have been prevented if they had simply known that there was a remote chance that the drug that they were taking during pregnancy could cause these serious side effects. Throughout the years, people haven’t even known that their child’s birth defects or developmental problems were related to Zoloft.

If you have found that you or a loved one has had a child with a birth defect and they were taking Zoloft during pregnancy, they may be entitled to compensation. It is important that you contact legal council that has experience in protecting patients from giant pharmaceutical companies. Call Phillips Law Firm for a consultation on your legal options.

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