Paxil Side Effects Permanently Harmed Child, Lawsuit Says

Plaintiff Sallee Miller claims in a new product liability lawsuit that her son was born with heart defects allegedly caused by her ingestion of Paxil during her pregnancy with him.

Miller alleges that she was taking the SSRI antidepressant at the time of her son’s birth, leading him to be born with coarctation of the aorta and a ventricular septal defect. The latter is a hole in the heart that requires surgery.

The Paxil birth defect lawsuit alleges that drug maker GlaxoSmithKline should have known the risks involving the medication but did not warn users that taking Paxil during pregnancy could lead to birth defects. The Paxil lawsuit cites an updated warning label from 2005 indicating a higher possibility of problems for newborns born to mothers who took Paxil compared to those who took other antidepressants.

Many mothers like Miller argue that they had no idea that the SSRI antidepressant was linked to pregnancy concerns, with the most common ones caused by persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), which can limit development of the fetus or cause hypoxia.

Even if the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) had not asked for a labeling change, the Paxil birth defects lawsuit alleges that agency regulations require the company “to issue stronger warnings whenever there existed reasonable evidence of an association between a serious risk and Paxil” even if there is no “causal link.”

While GlaxoSmithKline updated its labeling regarding Paxil side effects in 2005, studies have demonstrated that there is an increased risk for problems during pregnancy when an expectant mother takes any member of the SSRI antidepressant class. Many recent complaints allege that Pfizer has misled families about Zoloft side effects, which are still not mentioned on the label.

The Paxil birth defects lawsuit is Austin Staley, et al. v. GlaxoSmithKline, Case No. 13-cv-02382, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Counts against the drug maker include breaches of express and implied warranties, fraud, intentional infliction of emotional distress, loss of consortium, negligence, failure to warn, negligent misrepresentation and design defect.

If you know of a child that was born with birth defects after the mother took antidepressants while pregnant, get educated. Visit the Zoloft & SSRI Antidepressant Birth Defect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. There, you can get a free consultation with a Paxil birth defect lawyer who will review your potential case free of charge. It is the first step in potentially obtaining a jury award or settlement for damages allegedly caused by these medications.