Mother Sues Pfizer for Daughter’s Zoloft Heart Defects

Pennsylvania plaintiff Lindsay Brownback is suing Pfizer on behalf of herself and her daughter, Jaymie Rusden, for the birth defects Rusden allegedly sustained due to her use of Zoloft during her pregnancy. Due to these alleged Zoloft birth defects, she has had to undergo three reconstructive heart surgeries between 2001 and 2004.

On October 8, 2001, Rusden was born with congenital heart defects and had to be placed under immediate medical care upon her birth. Brownback had been prescribed Zoloft during her pregnancy to treat her depression, and wasn’t aware it could be unsafe for her unborn child.

At the time she was prescribed Zoloft, Brownback was not aware of the possible dangers her daughter might have had to face upon her birth, nor did Pfizer notify her of these possibilities. According to her Zoloft birth defects lawsuit, there was no mentioning on the warning label, and her physician was unaware of these side effects. According to the Zoloft lawsuit, had Brownback known about these possible side effects, she would have chosen to take a different medication.

Brownback states that because Pfizer is responsible for manufacturing this product, the company either knew or should have known about the possibility of birth defects associated with Zoloft. Therefore, Brownback is suing Pfizer for negligence, concealing information, misrepresenting a product and false advertising.

Overview of Zoloft Birth Defects

Zoloft is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant that is generally prescribed for severe and mild depression. It was first approved in 1997 by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), and has been continuing to get clearance to treat a wider variety of mental conditions. While widely regarded as a success amongst millions of patients, it has been found that pregnant women who use Zoloft at any time of their pregnancy may run the risk of delivering a child with birth defects.

One study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that SSRIs are more than six times more likely to cause birth defects in unborn babies when compared to other types of antidepressants. These birth defects may include facial deformities, cardiac complications and physical deformation of the arms and legs. Some of these birth defects affect children throughout their entire life.

Zoloft Birth Defect Lawsuits Grow

At this time, there are thousands of Zoloft birth defects lawsuits that have been filed all across the United States. Many have joined ongoing multidistrict litigation (MDL). Brownback has joined her case with an MDL that has been filed in Eastern Pennsylvania. Her case is still pending.

The Zoloft birth defects MDL is In Re: Zoloft Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2342, in the United States District Court of Eastern Pennsylvania.

If you believe that you or a loved one have been the victim of an 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 SSRI birth defect lawyer will contact you for a free, no-obligation consultation. You will be guided through the litigation process at no out-of-pocket expenses or hidden fees. The birth defect attorneys working this investigation do not get paid until you do.