The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Zofran in 1991 for use in patients undergoing chemotherapy or surgical procedures. According to its manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, Zofran is designed to reduce nausea or vomiting for these patients. However, allegations in federal lawsuits filed against GlaxoSmithKline suggest that healthcare providers throughout the U.S. may have been paid to prescribe Zofran as a treatment for morning sickness in pregnant women, who later went on to deliver babies with certain birth defects, including cleft palates, cleft lips, and heart defects.
Women who took Zofran during pregnancy and delivered babies with birth defects should consider seeking legal counsel to learn more about filing a Florida Zofran birth defects lawsuit to seek compensation for medical expenses, surgeries, treatments, pain and suffering, and other injuries to their child.
Is Zofran Safe?
According to studies, use of Zofran during pregnancy can increase the risk of birth defects in general by as much a 30 percent. The risk of heart complications, cleft lip, and cleft palate is reportedly doubled in women who take Zofran while pregnant. Heart defects can include murmurs, ventricular septal defects, and atrial septal defects, and may require surgery to correct. Additionally, cleft lip, a condition in which the baby’s lip does not fully develop, and cleft palate, a similar condition in which the roof of the baby’s mouth does not fully develop, may require extensive and expensive surgical procedures to correct and may cause difficulty feeding and swallowing.
GlaxoSmithKline Settles U.S. Government Claim
GlaxoSmithKline agreed to a $3 billion settlement with the U.S. Justice Department after the company was accused of illegally promoting Zofran and paying off physicians to prescribe the medication in pregnant women. As studies come to light suggesting an increased risk of birth defects in women who took Zofran while pregnant, Zofran birth defect attorneys anticipate that additional lawsuits will be filed.
The time you have to pursue a claim is limited. Contact us for more information.Get Help Now.
Contact Attorney Group for Florida for more information about your options if you feel that your Zofran use during pregnancy caused a birth defect in your baby. There are no out-of-pocket expenses when you speak with us, and we can connect you with an affiliated attorney who can file a Florida Zofran birth defects lawsuit on your behalf. You may be eligible to recover damages for pain and suffering, medical expenses, and more.
