Three more Zofran lawsuits were filed in a matter of days at the end of June against GlaxoSmithKline. These lawsuits were all filed in the southern United States and they all claim that using Zofran during pregnancy led to the development of birth defects in children. These claims join the dozens of Zofran birth defects lawsuits that have already been filed across the country. This is an issue that appears to be growing in scope as more and more consumers come forward with these types of allegations against GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturer of Zofran.
What is Zofran?
GlaxoSmithKline obtained approval from the FDA to market Zofran in the United States in 1991. Zofran is an anti-nausea drug. Importantly, Zofran was approved for two specific uses by the FDA: (1) for use by cancer patients who were undergoing chemotherapy and (2) for the prevention of nausea and vomiting in patients recovering from surgery. Over time, the medication generated billions of dollars in sales for GSK. Much of this revenue was derived from sales of Zofran to people who did not use the drug for either of these approved purposes.
Zofran Off-Label Uses and Alleged Zofran Side Effects
Over time, Zofran began to be prescribed to pregnant women who were suffering from symptoms associated with morning sickness. Zofran dominated this market despite the fact that it was never specifically approved for this purpose. This is known as an ‘off-label’ usage of a medication. Unfortunately, allegations of serious Zofran side effects began to emerge after this market was penetrated. These alleged Zofran side effects involved birth defects forming in children who were in their mother’s wombs during these early stages of pregnancy.
Commonly alleged Zofran birth defects include:
- Heart defects
- Cleft lip
- Cleft palate
- Fetal growth restriction
- Fetal death
Clearly, these are serious birth defects and families decided to file Zofran lawsuits after the medication allegedly led to this type of harm in their children.
The Latest Zofran Birth Defects Lawsuits
At the end of June, two Zofran lawsuits were filed in federal courts in Alabama and another was filed in Louisiana. All of them were filed on behalf of minors who were allegedly born with birth defects because their mothers had used Zofran during the early stages of their pregnancies. All three of the children in these lawsuits were born with serious heart defects that required surgery and other medical steps. These allegations appear to fall in line with at least one recent study, a link to which can be found here, that states that using Zofran during the early stages of pregnancy heightens the risk of heart defects in children.
Zofran Birth Defects Lawsuits and Your Legal Rights
If you used Zofran during pregnancy and your child was born with birth defects, you need to seek professional help to make sure that your legal rights are properly protected. Contact the Zofran side effects lawyers at Parilman & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation. You can either email the firm or call 800-800-DRUG.
