ZofranLegal.com reports on another mother who has filed a lawsuit against anti-nausea drug Zofran. This mother, who lives in South Euclid, Ohio, stated that she used the drug while pregnant with her daughter. She alleges that the drug caused her daughter to develop a “large atrial septal defect” while in utero. The birth defect required the young girl to have open heart surgery at just three years old, according to her mother.
The case, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, is case number 1:15-cv-01435. It was filed on July 20th of 2015. Like myriads of other women across the U.S., the plaintiff in this case was prescribed the drug Zofran during her first trimester of pregnancy in order to combat nausea from morning sickness. Although over 1 million pregnant women are prescribed the drug for this purpose yearly, this is considered an “off-label” prescription, as the drug was not approved or tested safe for expectant mothers.
Zofran, approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in 1991, was given this approval to treat patients who were experiencing extreme nausea and vomiting after undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, or anesthesia surgery procedures. Despite this fact, manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline went on to market the drug to pregnant women and obstetrics & gynecology healthcare professionals.
In this particular case, the mother stated that her lack of knowledge about who the product was originally approved for was because of intentional choices by GSK. Her complaint states: “GSK simply chose not to study Zofran in pregnant women [before] market[ing] the drug for treatment during pregnancy.”
Similar allegations from mothers across America continue to appear. As this mother poignantly notes, GSK has never undertaken a single study to research the effects of Zofran on fetal development. Her daughter, born January 20th, 1995, had allegedly been exposed to the drug during the most critical periods of utero development. She spent more than her first week of life in the hospital’s NICU, and, even after being discharged, continued to suffer from breathing difficulties for years.
Two years later, the child was finally referred to a pediatric cardiologist who diagnosed her with an atrial septal defect, which was subsequently causing her lung issues. This meant that there was a hole in her heart, which was located between the two top chambers, making her oxygen rich blood mix with her oxygen poor blood, and forcing her heart to pump more intensely than normal.
According to her mother, at only age three, the child was placed on a cardiac bypass machine and given open heart surgery. During this time, surgeons allegedly attempted to repair some of the girl’s lung damage as well. After additional years of suffering, as the mother claims, the child was finally completely healed from her ASD.
Similar allegations linking Zofran use by expectant mothers to an increased risk of birth defects in their children continue to appear today. Individuals who have used Zofran while pregnant and have subsequently given birth to an infant with defects may be entitled to compensation. The attorneys at Monheit Law are currently offering free consultations to individuals interested in exploring their rights concerning the pending litigation.
For additional information on this topic or to ask questions, contact Attorney Michael Monheit by calling 877-620-8411.
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Contact ZofranLegal.com:
Michael Monheit
1-877-620-8411
michael@monheit.com
1368 Barrowdale Road, Rydal, PA 19046
