Zofran is a medication designed to stop the body from producing chemicals that can cause vomiting and nausea. While many patients have benefitted from it, lawsuits are alleging that the drug is linked to birth defects such as heart malformations and cleft palate. Affected mothers may be eligible to file a Michigan Zofran lawsuit if they took the drug during pregnancy and gave birth to a child with birth defects.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Michigan today. Our consultations are free, confidential and without any obligation on your part. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What Is Zofran?
Zofran is a medication manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline and is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for vomiting and anti-nausea in surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy patients. It can also prevent the normal complication of shaking in people who have had anesthesia. However, as of March 2016, the FDA has not been approved it for the treatment of morning sickness, although some doctors prescribe the drug “off label” for that purpose.
Zofran works by blocking the neurotransmitter serotonin. According to the Annals of Palliative Medicine, the gastrointestinal tract contains the majority of serotonin found in the body – 80 percent. This serotonin induces vomiting and nausea by stimulating the stomach and brain stem’s 5-HT3 receptors, which can cause the severe nausea that is typically associated with pregnancy. Zofran prevents such interactions from occurring, and in turn, these symptoms are suppressed.
Zofran and Birth Defects
Lawsuits claim that Zofran can potentially cause birth defects, which include musculoskeletal irregularities, mouth disfigurements, jaundice, and heart defects. Specific birth defects allegedly linked to the use of Zofran during pregnancy include:
- Heart murmur
- Cleft lip
- Atrial septal defect
- Heart defects
- Kidney defect
- Cleft palate
- Ventricular septal defect
- Fetal growth restriction
- Hydronephrosis
- Hole in the heart
- Hypospadias
When Zofran is taken during pregnancy, it can cross the placenta and possibly cause the fetus to develop abnormally. When this occurs, the blood vessels are constricted and there is a possibility that the baby will be born underweight. This is known as fetal growth restriction and when a child is born underweight, he or she faces many medical issues that sometimes last into adulthood.
A Danish study found that the unborn children of women who take Zofran during the first trimester of their pregnancy had a higher incidence of heart defects. The study also examined the rate of congenital malformation but did not cite that there was an increased risk when the mothers were prescribed the drug.
Whereas many women have taken Zofran without incident, Michigan Zofran lawsuit attorneys note lawsuits claiming that the manufacturer did not adequately disclose the risks of the drug to mothers who subsequently delivered children with birth defects.
Zofran Lawsuits Filed
One Zofran lawsuit involves a woman who was prescribed the drug during two pregnancies. Both children were diagnosed with having a congenital heart defect. The woman claims that GlaxoSmithKline knew that birth defects were linked to their drug from animal studies conducted more than 20 years prior, that the company still marketed the product to doctors treating pregnant women, and that the company had no evidence to show that the drug was safe to use by women who were expecting.
How a Michigan Zofran Lawsuit Can Help
Drug manufacturers have a duty to ensure their products are accompanied by full and accurate instructions and warnings to guide prescribing doctors and other health care providers in making treatment decisions. If a drug maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
The parents of children who were born with birth defects linked to Zofran may be entitled to compensation for damages, including the child’s:
- Medical expenses
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- Scarring or physical deformities caused by the birth defect or treatment
If a child died due to birth defects linked to Zofran, family members may be entitled to compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one, including:
- Conscious pain and suffering of their child prior to death
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish from the loss of a child
- Funeral expenses
Affected families are encouraged to seek the advice of a Michigan Zofran lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
Contact Us For More Information
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Michigan. You can fill out the form on 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 or file a lawsuit 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 for Michigan today.
