Illinois Parents Seek Damages for Daughter’s Effexor Birth Defects

Illinois plaintiffs Tonya and Scott Sitkowski are suing Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Pfizer Inc. for the birth defects their daughter, Abigail Sitkowski, allegedly suffered from the mother’s use of Effexor during the pregnancy. The minor plaintiff was born July 29, 2005, with numerous birth defects, including a complete atrioventricular canal, imperforate anus, bilateral cataracts, and a brain abnormality.

Mrs. Sitkowski was prescribed Effexor during her pregnancy to treat her major depression and took the medication throughout her pregnancy. At the time, neither she nor her prescribing physician was aware of the possible side effects the medication could have on her unborn child, according to the Effexor lawsuit. There were no warnings or indications of Effexor birth defects on the drug’s label, nor did Pfizer make an effort to notify the plaintiff, the complaint states.

Had Sitkowski known about the possibility of Effexor birth defects, she would not have taken the medication, the lawsuit says. However, since she took the medication, her daughter was allegedly affected and was born with serious birth defects which required surgical intervention, and will continue to need medical assistance to this day. Sitkowski alleges that Pfizer is directly responsible for her daughter’s birth defects because the company either knew or should have known about the possibility of birth defects from Effexor.

The Sitkowskis are suing Pfizer and Wyeth for allegedly manufacturing, distributing, selling, and marketing a dangerous product. The charges include: negligence, false advertising, misrepresenting a product, and concealing information.

Overview of Effexor Birth Defect Complications

Effexor (venlafaxine hydrochloride) is a member of a drug family called SNRIs (Serotonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors), which was first approved by the FDA in 1993 to treat major depression in adult patients. It was the first drug in the SNRI family to be approved and created, and was the sixth most commonly prescribed antidepressant in the United States with 17.2 million prescriptions in 2007. SNRIs are the younger cousins of another famous antidepressant drug family, SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors), but work in the brain differently.

Unlike SSRIs, which work by counteracting the specific area of malfunction in the brain, SNRIs work by inhibiting the absorption of serotonin, which would ideally rid the brain of anxiety and depression. Like traditional antidepressants, SNRIs work by effecting the entire brain rather than one specific area. This makes them more reliable to some medical experts than others, but SNRIs have recently been found to have the same pitfalls as SSRIs. This pitfall: birth defects in unborn fetuses.

During the entire time Effexor has been available in the United States, the FDA has required Pfizer and Effexor’s manufacturing company, Wyeth, to issue stronger warnings to the drug’s label. As of now, there is a casual link between Effexor and miscarriages, as well as severe birth defects. A study released in May 2010, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, suggest that Effexor may actually double the risk of miscarriage. 

Additionally, the FDA warns about one particular birth defect from using Effexor: persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). This condition damages a newborn’s heat and lungs, and is fatal in 10% of cases. Other alleged Effexor birth defects include: 

• Heart defects
• Respiratory distress
• Anencephaly
• Craniosynostosis
• Omphalocele
• Cleft lip
• Cleft palate

Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuits are Being Filed Now

The Sitkowskis are suing Pfizer for alleged negligence and are seeking damages for pain and suffering, medical compensation, and other punitive damages. They join hundreds of other parents suing drug companies for allegedly failing to warn about the risks of taking antidepressants during pregnancy.

The Effexor birth defect lawsuit is Tonya and Scott Sitkowski v. Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc., et al., Case No. 1:12-cv-08326, in the United States District Court of the Northern District of Illinois. 

If you believe that you or a loved one has been the victim of an SNRI or SSRI birth defect, you have legal options. Please visit the Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro & Prozac SSRI Antidepressant Birth Defect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. There, you can submit your claim for a free legal review and if it qualifies for legal action, a seasoned birth defect lawyer will contact you for a free, no-obligation consultation. If you qualify, you will be guided through the litigation process at no out-of-pocket expenses or hidden fees. The birth defect lawyers working this investigation do not get paid until you do.