Recent Zofran Birth Defects Lawsuits Allege Heart And Skeletal Defects Due To Anti-Nausea DrugSouthern Med Law

Zofran Birth Defects Lawsuits Allege Zofran Causes Congenital Birth Defects Including Cleft Palate, Cleft Lip, And Heart Defects

Zofran birth defects lawsuits against Zofran’s maker, GlaxoSmithKline continue to mount with complaints filed on behalf of a woman in Texas and a woman in Mississippi. Both women were prescribed Zofran during pregnancy and claim their babies were born with birth defects. The two complaints join over 300 federal Zofran birth defects lawsuits pending in Massachusetts that allege GlaxoSmithKline failed to disclose the risks of such birth defects as cleft palate, cleft lip, heart defects, and musculoskeletal defects in newborns whose mothers were prescribed the anti-nausea drug during pregnancy. (In Re: Zofran lawsuits (Ondansetron) Products Liability Litigation – MDL No. 2657)

“Many families seek compensation for the injuries their children suffered at birth as a result of prenatal exposure to Zofran,” says Dr. François Blaudeau, founder of Southern Med Law. As both an attorney and a practicing obstetrician/gynecologist, Dr. Blaudeau possesses unique insight into the various legal and medical issues at the center of Zofran birth defects lawsuits.

Southern Med Law is currently evaluating potential Zofran birth defects lawsuits on behalf of families who believe their child was born with a birth defect due to this medication. To learn more about the litigation involving Zofran and birth defects, please contact the Firm as soon as possible. You can arrange for a free, no obligation Zofran lawsuit review by 205-547-5525 or you can visit www.southernmedlaw for more information and to fill out a contact form.

The Texas mother alleges in her complaint that she was prescribed a generic form of Zofran and her child was born with atrial septal defect and ventricular septal defect, known as holes in the heart. The Mississippi mother alleges exposure to the generic form of Zofran caused her now 3-year-old child to develop over 10 birth defects that include skeletal muscle atrophy and cardiomegaly, an enlarged heart. The lawsuits are consolidated for coordinated pretrial proceedings in the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts in Boston. (In Re: Zofran (Ondansetron) Products Liability Litigation – MDL No. 2657)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Zofran (ondansetron) to treat nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy and surgery. However, Zofran lawsuits maintain GlaxoSmithKline marketed the drug as a treatment for morning sickness in pregnant women. The plaintiffs’ allegations are supported by GlaxoSmithKline resolving criminal and civil claims brought by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The company pleaded guilty to failure to report safety data and claims of improperly promoting certain of its prescription drugs, including Zofran, for uses not approved by the FDA. GlaxoSmithKline was accused of paying kickbacks to doctors to prescribe Zofran and certain other drugs. The company agreed to pay $3 billion to resolve the civil and criminal claims.
[justice.gov/opa/pr/glaxosmithkline-plead-guilty-and-pay-3-billion-resolve-fraud-allegations-and-failure-report, DOJ, June 2012]

Plaintiffs also point to studies that show a risk of serious birth defects when Zofran is taken during the early stages of pregnancy. For instance, a Center for Birth Defects Research study in 2012 found that babies were twice as likely to be at risk for cleft palate and cleft lip birth defects. Another study using thirteen years of data from a Danish birth registry found a two-fold increased risk of cardiac malformations with ondansetron use.
[ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22102545]
[ajog.org/article/S0002-9378%2814%2900853-9/fulltext]

About Southern Med Law and Filing A Zofran Birth Defect Lawsuit

Southern Med Law is an experienced law firm providing legal representation individuals across the country who have been victims of negligent personal injuries, medical malpractice, dangerous drugs, faulty medical devices and defective products. Led by Dr. François Blaudeau, an attorney and a practicing obstetrician/ gynecologist, the legal staff at Southern Med Law possesses a deep understanding of the complex medical and legal questions at issue in all manner of product liability and personal injury claims. They’re not afraid to take on the nation’s largest corporations in their pursuit of justice, and are committed to ensuring that all victims have access to the type of aggressive legal advocacy that assures success.

Contact:
Southern Med Law
François M. Blaudeau, MD JD FACHE FCLM Esquire
2224 1st Avenue North
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
Phone: 205-547-5525

Fax: 205-547-5526
francois@sml-legal.i-mlaw.com