Ashley Milano  |  October 13, 2014

Category: Legal News

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ZoloftA Zoloft birth defects lawsuit was filed by an Alabama mother against Pfizer Inc. and its subsidiary, Greenstone LLC., alleging that taking its popular antidepressant drug Zoloft during her pregnancy caused her child to be born with life-threatening congenital defects.

Plaintiff Heather Ryals was prescribed Zoloft prior to her pregnancy to treat an undisclosed medical condition and continued under her physician’s care to take Zoloft during her pregnancy, according to her Zoloft lawsuit. Ryals alleges that had she or her physician been adequately warned that Zoloft could cause congenital birth defects if taken during pregnancy, she would have ceased taking the drug for the duration of her pregnancy.

The Zoloft lawsuit accuses Pfizer of negligence, false advertising, concealing information, and misrepresenting a product. The lawsuit claims that Ryals was not aware that this drug could cause such complications until recently, and that she had not been given proper disclosure at the time she was prescribed the medication.

The Zoloft lawsuit seeks to hold Pfizer accountable for deliberately concealing that Zoloft can cause serious congenital birth defects. The Zoloft birth defect lawsuit further alleges that Pfizer and Greenstone knew Zoloft posed a severe risk of congenital birth defects since it crosses the placenta, and intentionally withheld this information from patients and doctors. Rather than recall Zoloft or revise label warnings, Ryals alleges Pfizer took no action and continued to promote Zoloft as a safe and effective treatment.

Is Zoloft Dangerous For Pregnant Women?

Zoloft is used by millions of Americans to treat depression. More specifically, pregnant women have been prescribed Zoloft to help with anxiety involved with their pregnancy. Studies have documented a connection between Zoloft and other anti-depressants of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class and life-threatening congenital birth defects. Common congenital birth defects include:

  • Tetralogy of fallot (TOF): A heart defect which causes low oxygen levels in the blood.
  • Coarctation of the aorta: The aorta is narrowed, making it harder for blood to pass through the artery with symptoms such as dizziness, chest pain, nosebleed and poor growth.
  • Hypoplastic left heart syndrome: (HLHS): A rare congenital birth defect that occurs when parts of the left side of the heart do not form completely.
  • Holes in the heart: A cardiac – either ventricular septal (VSD) or atrial septal (ASD).

The Zoloft Congenital Birth Defect Lawsuit is Heather Nicole Ryals, Individually, and Heather Nicole Ryals, as the Guardian of Minor Plaintiff v. Pfizer Inc. and Greenstone LLC, Case No. 2:14-cv-05023-CMR, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Zoloft Lawsuits

Over 600 Zoloft congenital birth defect lawsuits have been filed against Pfizer. However, these are not consolidated into a Zoloft class action lawsuit. Instead, most cases are centralized in a federal multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 2342) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Additional Zoloft lawsuits are pending in Alabama, California, Illinois, Missouri, and New York.

In general, birth defect lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

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If you or a loved one took Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro, Effexor, Celexa, Cymbalta or Depakote during pregnancy and gave birth to a child with a congenital defect, you may have a legal claim against the drug’s manufacturer. Find out if you qualify to pursue compensation for your child’s medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages by filling out the form below now. An attorney will contact you if you qualify to discuss the details of your potential case.

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