Delaware Parents Sue Pfizer for Son’s Birth Defects

Delaware plaintiffs Lori Grinnell and Thomas Spencer are suing Pfizer Inc. for the injuries their son, Joseph Spencer, sustained after Grinnell ingested the antidepressant Zoloft during pregnancy. Grinnell and Spencer allege that their son was born with birth defects as a direct result of Grinnell ingesting Zoloft while she was pregnant. The minor plaintiff was born on Aug. 25, 2008.

At some time before the minor plaintiff’s birth, Grinnell was prescribed Zoloft to treat her depression, and she continued to take the medication throughout her entire pregnancy. According to the Zoloft lawsuit, the minor plaintiff was born with a cleft palate and other congenital birth defects. He required immediate medical care after his birth.

According to the Zoloft lawsuit, at no point in time were Grinnell or Spencer aware of the possibility of birth defects associated with this medication. They claim there were no indications on the drug’s label and the defendant company made no effort to notify them or their physicians about the risk of Zoloft birth defects. Grinnell states that if she had known about these side effects, she never would have taken the medication. She claims that Pfizer had the obligation to disclose this information to her, because she had been relying on the accuracy of the given information at the time.

Grinnell and Spencer are suing Pfizer for manufacturing, selling, distributing and marketing a dangerous drug. The charges in their Zoloft lawsuit include negligence, false advertising, misrepresenting a product and concealing information.

Overview of Zoloft Complications

Zoloft (Sertraline) was first approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 1991, to be used as an antidepressant in adult patients. It belongs to a drug family called SSRIs (Select Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). In contrast to previous generations of antidepressants, which are designed to neutralize the entire brain, SSRIs are specifically designed to target the specific malfunction and counteract it. Through this unique process, Zoloft has become one the most popular antidepressants in the United States, with an estimated 37,208,000 prescriptions in 2011.

When SSRIs were first brought into creation, they were a welcome alternative to traditional antidepressants. The side effects were thought to be less severe, and were even thought to work more quickly than traditional antidepressants. However, Zoloft and other SSRIs have been associated with birth defects. The exact triggers of this reaction are currently unknown.

Even with the substantial evidence suggesting that this drug is dangerous for pregnant women to ingest, Pfizer has yet to include this side effect on Zoloft’s warning label. The FDA has cited Pfizer multiple times for not mentioning the risks of birth defects, as well as exaggerating Zoloft’s benefits.

Grinnell and Spencer are seeking damages for pain and suffering, medical compensation, and other punitive charges. This Zoloft lawsuit is still pending.

This Zoloft birth defects lawsuit is Lori Grinnell and Thomas Spencer v. Pfizer Inc., Case No. 2:13-cv-06911-CMR, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

File a Zoloft Lawsuit Today

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 her congenital defects. Learn more and obtain a free case review at the SSRI Antidepressant Birth Defect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation.