SSRI Birth Defect Attorneys note news reports of studies linking the antidepressants Prozac and Paxil with SSRI birth defects. The recent studies follow questions relating to the safety in general of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, during pregnancy, and they involved 28,000 women.
If you took Prozac, Paxil or another SSRI during pregnancy and your child has birth defects, contact Attorney Group for more information. We can discuss your options in a free, confidential and no-obligation consultation. If you choose to pursue a claim for compensation, we can connect you with an affiliated SSRI birth defects lawyer who can assist you throughout the legal process.
Important: The time you have to pursue a claim is limited. Contact us for more information.
What are SSRIs?
SSRIs are some of the most-prescribed antidepressants in the world. Studies have shown that these drugs may help to ease the symptoms of anxiety and depression, and physicians maintain that they are relatively safe if the patient takes them as prescribed. Additionally, many members in the healthcare community assert that these drugs do not cause as many side effects as other comparable medications.
SSRIs work by preventing the reabsorption of serotonin in the brain. By altering this balance, the patient’s brain is able to better send and receive chemical messages, resulting in an elevated mood.
Studies: SSRI Birth Defects 2 to 3 Times More Common with Prozac and Paxil
According to a Reuters article, a study published on July 8, 2015 in the British Medical Journal showed that of the 28,000 women who participated in the study, those who took Prozac or Paxil early in pregnancy delivered children with birth defects 2 to 3.5 times more frequently than women who did not take the drugs. The article also noted that:
Prozac use was associated with a birth defect in which a baby’s skull is misshapen. Paxil use was associated with a defect in which a baby’s intestines protrude outside the body and with anencephaly, in which a baby is missing parts of the brain and skull, the study found.
Both Paxil and Prozac were linked to a heart defect.
In 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a safety warning about the use of SSRIs during pregnancy.
Drug Makers Have a Duty to Provide Safe Medicine
Drug makers are required to provide medications that are safe and free from defects. If a severe side effect is known to be caused by the drug, the manufacturer must warn about the risks involved so that a patient can make an informed decision when deciding to take the medication. When drug makers fail to so this, people who suffer side effects may be able to recover compensation for their injuries.
Injured Patients May Be Eligible for Compensation
The parents of children born with SSRI birth defects caused by a dangerous and defective drug can seek compensation for their child’s medical expenses, pain and suffering, and scarring or physical deformities related to the birth defect or associated medical treatment. If a birth defect causes a child to die, families can seek compensation for funeral expenses, any conscious pain and suffering of the child prior to death, loss of the relationship with the child, and other wrongful death damages.
Mothers who took and SSRI during pregnancy and are considering legal action for their child’s birth defects are encouraged to seek the advice of an SSRI birth defects attorney.
Contact Us For More Information
If you took an SSRI during pregnancy, delivered a child with birth defects, and want more information about your options, contact Attorney Group. You can fill out the form on the side this page, call us at the number listed at the top of the page, or email us at info@attorneygroup.com.
When you contact us, an attorney will follow up with you to speak with you about your case or answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
See our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information, and contact Attorney Group today.
