Parents Join Zoloft Birth Defects MDL

Amy Janssen and her husband Paul Janssen have joined the multidistrict litigation against drug manufacturer Pfizer after their child was born with serious birth defects. The Zoloft lawsuit contends that Pfizer concealed the risk of birth defects associated with their drugs, causing Amy Janssen to believe it was safe to take the antidepressant during pregnancy. 

Amy Janssen gave birth to her child, identified only as T.B.J. in court documents, in June 2006. T.B.J. was born with several serious heart defects, including pulmonary stenosis, an atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defects and others heart defects. These defects consisted of various physical malformations of the heart, including some that allowed deoxygenated and oxygenated blood to mix within the heart, and others that locally increased blood pressure to life-threatening levels. These defects allegedly required emergency surgical intervention to repair the heart to save the life of T.B.J. 

The Zoloft lawsuit contends that Pfizer was aware of a risk of birth defects associated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) including Zoloft (sertraline). The complaint cites animal testing in which Zoloft allegedly caused birth defects in nonhuman mammals. Additionally, the Zoloft lawsuit asserts that Pfizer was aware of clinical trials that indicated the drug could cause birth defects, including tests on Zoloft and related SSRI drugs.

The Zoloft lawsuit further alleges that not only was Pfizer aware of the risk of birth defects associated with the antidepressant, but that the company actively concealed and continues to conceal that risk by failing to include the risk of birth defects on the warning label. Per the Zoloft lawsuit, Pfizer is aware that physicians prescribe Zoloft to pregnant women routinely, yet the company does not include information about the risk of birth defects with the drug. The birth defects lawsuit asserts that Amy Janssen would have never taken Zoloft during her pregnancy had she been aware of the risk of serious birth defects associated with the drug. 

The Zoloft Birth Defects Lawsuit is Amy A. Jansen, et al. v. Pfizer Inc., et al., Case No. 2:13-cv-05943-CMR, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. It has been added to In Re: Zoloft (Sertraline Hydrochloride) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2342, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

If you or someone you care about had a child with birth defects after taking Zoloft or other SSRIs, you’ve probably found yourself in a challenging situation. Having a child with birth defects translates to sleepless nights at the hospital and other emotional trials. At the same time, the situation presents financial strain in the form of mounting hospital bills, lost wages and lost income potential. When faced with such a situation, many people feel overwhelmed or even depressed. But you need to remember that you still have rights, and there are steps that you can take to regain a measure of control over your situation. You can start by visiting the Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, Depakote & Prozac SSRI Antidepressant Birth Defect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. Here, you can enter information about your situation for a review by a legal expert with a background in this type of litigation. The initial consultation is completely free of charge, and from it, you can receive additional guidance on the best steps to take in your exact situation.