Pfizer Will Soon Respond to Zoloft Birth Defect Allegations

Pfizer introduced Zoloft (sertraline chloride) to the market in 1991, and thanks in part to creative advertising and popular customer reviews, Zoloft became one of the most widely prescribed antidepressants in the United States. However, in recent years, women have been suing Pfizer for the birth defects allegedly caused by Zoloft.

Currently, there are more than 250 pending Zoloft birth defect lawsuits in federal court in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The number of Zoloft birth defect lawsuits is expected to grow. Pfizer is scheduled to issue its defense to the accusations made by plaintiffs in multiple, ongoing status conferences, which are scheduled to go through mid-2013.

Plaintiffs accuse Pfizer of specifically advertising Zoloft to pregnant women, even though studies show that the drug increases the risk of birth defects such as holes in the heart, cleft palate, club feet, spina bifida, skull defects and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN).

Zoloft is a part of an antidepressant drug family called SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors or serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors), which are unique in design compared to other antidepressants. SSRIs are the first class of psychotropic drugs that can target specific biological agents, and create a molecule to counteract it.

The SSRI drugs are often preferred over other antidepressants for various reasons. Patients have reported that their sleep and anxiety levels normalizes within the first week, motivated interest and appetite returns by the second week, and mood and libido stabilizes by the third. Other benefits reported from taking SSRIs include but are not limited to:

• Non-addictive qualities
• No associated ‘buzz’ or trance
• Mild withdrawal or “discontinuation syndrome” in some patients
• More rapid onset of effects
• Side effects generally lessen over time
• Reported 60%-70% success rate in patients

Out of all the SSRI antidepressants, Zoloft is the most popular and is considered the best drug available for the treatment of depression. However, the babies who are exposed to the drug while still in the mother’s womb faced the increased risks of the following birth defects:

• Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn
• Anencephaly
• Clubfoot
• Craniosynostosis
• Omphalocele
• Gastroschisis
• Pulmonary Atresia
• Spina Bifida
• Diaphragmatic Hernia
• Esophageal Atresia
• Heart Defects

These Zoloft heart birth defects include:

• Atrial Septal Defect
• Double Outlet of the Right Ventricle
• Hypoplastic Left/Right Heart Syndromes
• Tetralogy of Fallot
• Transposition of the Great Arteries
• Truncus Arteriosus
• Ventricular Septal Defect

To this day, Pfizer still has not provided an adequate warning on the Zoloft label regarding the potential of birth defects, according to some patients. Failing to warn physicians, the medical community, and the public about the potential dangers of Zoloft birth defects has led to many of the lawsuits the company is now facing.

If you believe that you or a loved one has 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.