Multiple studies and dozens of lawsuits have linked the antidepressant Effexor to severe, life-changing birth defects in babies born to mothers who took the drug during pregnancy.
If your child suffered birth defects because of Effexor, you may be able to file a lawsuit to obtain fair compensation for damages. The defective drug attorneys at O'Connor, Acciani & Levy have the extensive legal knowledge you need to have a chance to prevail in this type of claim. We do not charge legal fees unless you obtain compensation or a jury verdict in your favor. Speak with a Cincinnati Effexor lawyer right away.
SIDE EFFECTS AND APPROVED USES
In 1993, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Effexor for the treatment of anxiety and depression. It eventually became one of the top-selling antidepressants on the market, raking in $958 million in sales in the third quarter of 2007.
Effexor manufacturer Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has marketed the drug as safe for pregnant women suffering from depression. However, like many antidepressants, the FDA placed Effexor in category C for pregnancy drugs, which means studies have shown the drug is a risk to animal fetuses.
In 2004, the FDA updated Effexor’s labeling to advise doctors and patients that the drug can cause hospitalization and require respiratory support and tube feeding in newborn infants.
The drug has been linked to a variety of other birth defects, including:
- Club foot
- Cleft lip
- Cleft palate
- Enlarged heart
- Spina bifida
- Septal defects
- Hypoplastic left heart syndrome
- Skull deformity
- Neural tube defects
- Intestinal protrusion outside of the body
- Heart murmurs
- Missing parts of the skull or brain
If your baby suffered these birth defects, you may be able to file an Effexor lawsuit to obtain compensation.
STUDIES ON THE DANGERS OF EFFEXOR
Effexor carries an increased risk of miscarriage when taken by pregnant women, according to a study published in July 2010, in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Researchers discovered there was a 68 percent increase in the risk of a miscarriage, or spontaneous abortion, in women who took antidepressants like Effexor compared to women who did not.
Researchers reached this conclusion after studying data on 5,124 women who had clinically detected spontaneous abortions.
Another study from 2013 found the use of Effexor during pregnancy increased the risk for anencephaly, cleft palate, gastroschisis, atrial septal defect and coarctation of the aorta.
Researchers studied 20,000 women who used Effexor when they were pregnant between 1997 and 2007. They assessed the risk of 24 different birth defects and found a statistically significant increase for five.
These defects and others have led to dozens of Effexor lawsuits against Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.
Contact our experienced Effexor attorneys to find out if you can file a lawsuit in Cincinnati.
EFFEXOR LAWSUITS
By October 2013, there were 46 Effexor lawsuits in a multi-district litigation (MDL) in Pennsylvania. The cases alleged that Wyeth Pharmaceuticals failed to properly warn patients and doctors about Effexor increasing the risks of birth defects.
These lawsuits also allege Wyeth continued to market the drug as safe for pregnant women, despite research and other evidence linking the drug to birth defects.
Over the next two years, 22 more Effexor lawsuits were added to the MDL in Pennsylvania. Including a 2014 case filed by a North Carolina couple claiming Effexor caused their son to be born with several birth defects, including complex total anomalous venous return, ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect and optic nerve atrophy.
Unfortunately, eight of the Effexor lawsuits in the MDL were dismissed in January 2015.
SPEAK WITH A CINCINNATI EFFEXOR ATTORNEY RIGHT AWAY
Research has shown that drugs like Effexor have a risk of birth defects when taken by pregnant women. However, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has continued marketing and selling these drugs to treat depression in pregnant women.
Drug manufacturers have an obligation to produce safe products and provide sufficient warning about the risks. When they fail in this obligation, victims may be able to file an Effexor lawsuit.
Our Cincinnati Effexor lawyers are committed to fighting for the rights of those injured by dangerous drugs. We have the resources and experience to thoroughly investigate your claim to build a solid case that gives you a chance of obtaining compensation.
