Study Concludes Morning Drug Zofran Can Cross Placenta

A recent study concludes that Zofran can cross pregnant women’s placentas and enter the bodies of fetuses.  The study has raised more questions about the alleged problems associated with Zofran side effects.  The study could also prompt additional scrutiny with regards to Zofran’s off-label purposes.  Off-label uses indicate that a medication is being prescribed for something other than what is was approved for originally.  This is also not the first Zofran study to conclude that use of this anti-nausea medication while pregnant could lead to dangers to children in wombs.  The study could also become evidence for Zofran lawsuits that have been and will be filed across the United States.

The study was published recently in a medical journal known as Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics.  A link to an abstract for the study can be found here.  Researchers from the United Kingdom, Stanford University and the University of Colorado studied plasma samples from women both who were pregnant and who were not pregnant at the time.  In addition, the researchers reviewed blood samples that were taken from the infants of the pregnant women after birth.

The findings of the researchers were troubling, and will be of concern for many people who consider taking Zofran while pregnant.  Those findings stated that Zofran use by women who are pregnant at the time led to a rapid transfer of the ingredients in Zofran from the mother into the fetus through the placenta.  The study also found that this substance remained in the bodies of the newborns for a longer period of time than it did for their mothers.

Alleged Zofran Side Effects

Zofran is an anti-nausea medication that is manufactured by corporate giant GlaxoSmithKline, or GSK.  It has been approved for use in patients who were dealing with chemotherapy or recovering from other types of surgeries.  It was not originally approved for use by pregnant women who were dealing with morning sickness, but eventually Zofran was prescribed for this reason.  This development appears to be what led to so many problems and alleged Zofran side effects, most of which involved harm to children who were born to mothers who had used the medication during pregnancy.

Examples of alleged Zofran birth defects include:

  • Cleft lip
  • Cleft palate
  • Ventricular septal defects
  • Atrial septal defects
  • Other heart-related birth defects
  • Jaundice
  • Musculoskeletal defects

All of these alleged Zofran birth defects are serious in nature, and some can even be deadly.  These problems have led to a growing number of Zofran side effects lawsuits being filed.  To date, the FDA has never overtly stated that using Zofran for morning sickness is a safe way to treat this condition.

Zofran Side Effects Lawsuits and Your Legal Rights

People who have children who are harmed as a result of their mothers using Zofran while pregnant need to take action to protect their legal rights as soon as possible.  If this includes you or someone you love, contact the Zofran birth defects lawyers at Parilman & Associates as soon as possible.  You can either email the firm or call 800-800-DRUG.