Couple Sues Pfizer Over Baby’s Zoloft Birth Defects

Parents Diana High and Matthew High have filed a lawsuit against Pfizer Inc. and related entities, alleging that the drug Zoloft caused their child to develop birth defects.

While she was pregnant with her child, identified in court documents only as “M.H.,” Diana High was prescribed Zoloft. When M.H. was born, the child suffered from complex birth defects, including a cleft lip.

The Highs’ birth defects lawsuit alleges that Pfizer reasonably should have been aware of the risks associated with Zoloft long before Diana High had her child. To support this assertion, the text of the lawsuit states that even before U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval, animal studies indicated that SSRIs could cause birth defects in mammals. Additionally, the Zoloft lawsuit states that adverse event reports accumulated since the 1990s indicate the risk of birth defects, including heart and cranial defects, as well as the risk of miscarriage. Lastly, the lawsuit cites post-market surveillance and peer-reviewed research papers as indicators of a link between Zoloft and birth defects.

Additionally, the Zoloft lawsuit further alleges that not only was Pfizer aware of these risks, but that the drug manufacturer failed to adequately warn the public and health care communities. The lawsuit asserts that the drug information included with Zoloft fails to adequately warn of these risks and states that Pfizer has not done enough to alert health care professionals, and patients like Diana High, of the risk of birth defects associated with the drug. The Highs allege that this lack of warning comes despite the fact that Zoloft is well-marketed, and women of childbearing years are a part of Zoloft’s target market. The lawsuit asserts that Diana High would have never used the drug had she been aware of the risks associated with it.

The Zoloft birth defects lawsuit is formally titled Diana High, et al., Individually and as Natural Parents and Guardians of Plaintiff M.H., a Minor, v. Pfizer Inc., et al., Case No. 2:13-cv-06986-CMR, filed within the MDL In Re: Zoloft (Sertraline Hydrochloride) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2342, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Help for Victims of SSRI Birth Defects

Studies have shown that women who take SSRI antidepressants during the first trimester of pregnancy are more likely to give birth to a child with congenital defects. These congenital defects include:

• ASD/VSD (hole in heart)
• Hypoplastic Left Heart or Right Heart Syndrome
• Tetralogy of Fallot
• Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
• Other heart malformation or heart defect
• Cleft Palate or Cleft Lip
• Spina Bifida
• Omphalocele
• Club foot

If you took an antidepressant such as Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft or Effexor and your child was born with one or more of the birth defects listed above, you may qualify to pursue compensation from the drug manufacturer. Your child must be under the age of 18 and had surgery to correct his or congenital defects. Learn more and obtain a free case review at the SSRI Antidepressant Birth Defect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation.