FDA Mandates Black Box Warning To Highlight Essure Side Effects

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, under pressure from activists and women who suffered from Essure side effects, has finally asked manufacturer Bayer to add a “black box warning” to its controversial birth control device. The step was imminent in the face of large number of adverse events reported in print and social media over the years. A joint Essure lawsuit representing two dozen women has also been filed against Bayer for “actively withholding” information on the contraceptive side effects reported to it.

According to the FDA statement posted on its website, the strongest safety warning label on Essure birth control is “to call attention to serious or life-threatening risks.” It also called for additional studies and trials to address Essure safety concerns. Essure was approved in November 2002 as a permanent sterilization option for women. By May 2015, the FDA received over 5,000 Essure side effect complaints highlighting contraceptive failure, migration, unintended pregnancies, abdominal inflammation and pain, uterus and fallopian tube perforation, severe allergic reaction, and miscarriages. Bayer is accused of hiding thousands of post-marketing reports on the birth control adverse events.

Essure device comprises of two nickel-titanium coils with tiny and flexible polyethylene terephthalate inserts. The coil when inserted into the fallopian tubes using a catheter induces scar tissue growth for a three-month period. This ingrowth turns into a barrier inside the fallopian tubes blocking sperm movement. It is a permanent sterilization method and for those who do not want children in the future.

The FDA Essure warning also accompanies a checklist for doctors to ask patients about their experience and provide inputs about safety and effectiveness of the birth control device. Planed to have a sample of size of at least 2,000, the assessment will go on for three years.

Earlier in July 2015, the FDA went for a review of the birth control. However, it ended with the manufacturer being asked to carry on more safety research. Consumer groups and activists are critical of such FDA action and have been demanding a recall of the birth control device. Bayer is also accused of not reporting Essure side effects to the FDA over the years and this could have led to safety assessment years earlier saving thousands of users.

Essure Perforation Lawsuit

A Texas woman has filed an Essure lawsuit claiming that side effects forced her to undergo hysterectomy surgery. She had severe pain, chronic cervical inflammation, and bleeding soon after she had the birth control device. The contraceptive side effects also resulted in fatigue and uneasiness during intercourse and she also developed ovarian cysts, according to the Essure injury lawyer representing her. She had to undergo a total hysterectomy to take out the contraceptive coil.

The Essure lawsuit claims that the plaintiff selected the birth control device, as the manufacturer failed to provide adequate information about potential adverse events linked to the contraceptive. Bayer has been accused of suppressing side effect complaints and misleadingly advertising the birth control coil as a safer sterilization procedure despite post-marketing reports on adverse events.

In February 2016, the FDA acknowledged at least 294 confirmed fetal deaths linked to Essure migration causing unwanted pregnancies. The figures, previously put at 125, were reviewed after the regulator found discrepancies in Bayer’s reporting of Essure adverse events. While thousands have become members of a Facebook group “Essure Problems” to express their anguish over sufferings due to the birth control side effects.

For filing Essure injury lawsuit seeking compensation and damages for complications associated with the Essure birth control device, contact our Essure attorney or call on 1-800-632-1404.

November 2, 2015November 2, 2015

A Simple Guide To Filing Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit

Effexor birth defect lawyer @1-800-632-1404

In 2005, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a study entitled “Neonatal signs after late in utero exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitors: Literature review and implications for clinical applications.” This was the first convincing evidence linking congenital birth defects with Effexor, Zoloft, and similar antidepressants and with it began the decade-old debate over the efficacy of antidepressant use during pregnancy.

A 2006 report in the New England Journal of Medicine claimed a six-fold increase with the threat of fatal lung disorder in babies if Effexor is ingested by a pregnant woman. The British Medical Journal linked the drug use during pregnancy to congenital heart defects in 2006 and published more research evidence on Effexor birth defects in newborns in 2013.

What is Effexor?

Effexor is the first serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor or SNRI antidepressant to be introduced. From 1993, when it was approved, to 2011, the drug was one of the most-prescribed antidepressants. The original manufacturer was Wyeth, which has been a part of Pfizer since 2009. Made to regulate mood-controlling neurotransmitters, the drug is suggested to treat anxiety and depressive disorders.

The manufacturer promoted the drug as superior to other antidepressants and claimed a fewer side effects. The product labeling, however, does not carry any warning for pregnancy side effects. Nor did the manufacturer bother to inform about potential Effexor birth defects risks.

What are major Effexor birth defects?

Research reports started appearing in the early 2000s warning of pregnancy-linked Effexor birth defects. By 2012, there were dozens of reports highlighted the association of the drug with many fatal and non-fatal birth deformities. The high possibility of babies born with defects following prenatal exposure to the drug has manifested in coining of the term “Effexor Baby.”

Effexor antidepressant pregnancy side effects are found to be capable of causing congenital birth defects, such as

persistent pulmonary hypertension and hypoxemia attributed to hypoplastic lung problem
long-term heart defects in newborns, including septum wall defect, intra-cardiac blood shunting, heart hole, hypoplastic hole, ventral, atrial, and septal deformities, omphalocele, and heart failure
cranial defects, including underdeveloped brain, malformations in the brain, imperfect skull
physical defects, including vertebra deformities, flawed neural tube, cleft palates and lip, abdominal malformation, anus deformities
developmental delays, slow learning, speech and walking problems, delayed growth
neurological problems in newborns

What to consider while filing an Effexor birth defect lawsuit?

The checklist prior to the filing of an Effexor birth defect lawsuit must take note of the following points.

Statute of limitations: Each state has its own statute of limitation, a legal framework prescribing time limit for filing various kinds of lawsuits. Find out what is the deadline for drug injury lawsuits. In Tennessee, for example, the statute of limitations for a Tennessee Effexor birth defect lawsuit is one year.
Evidence: Identify if the birth defect claim is directly or indirectly related to the use of Effexor antidepressant.
Documents: You will need to review medical and other documents to support your claim, including the pharmacy records to prove you were prescribed the medication during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Consult with Counsel.

What to allege in an Effexor birth defect lawsuit?

Remember that every case is different. An Effexor birth defect lawsuit can seek various types of damages, such as

Recovery of past medical expenses
Financial assistance for future medical costs
Compensation for disability
Compensation for physical suffering, emotional trauma, and loss of wages
Punitive damages

Am I eligible to file an Effexor birth defect lawsuit?

If your child is a victim of Effexor birth defect and you are willing to seek financial damages for product liability, please contact our Effexor birth defect lawyer at 1-800-632-1404 for a free consultation.

October 15, 2015

Medicating Mood During Pregnancy And Risk of Effexor Birth Defects

Laura, a Tennessee mother in her thirties, is worried over the future of her son born with an Effexor birth defect four years ago. She lost her job and had family problems. Her doctor suggested Effexor antidepressant as a treatment to her anxiety, panic, and depression. She continued taking the drug until the eight week into her pregnancy unaware of what the antidepressant could cause to the baby in her womb. She was hopeful of Effexor benefits in keep her emotional health stable and prevent the depression from impacting the child inside.

Her hope was shattered when doctors used the term “Effexor Baby” to indicate the special condition of her yet-to-born son soon after labor pain began. The boy was put into the neonatal intensive care for days after the birth. Medical examinations revealed he had a fused heart, irregular heartbeat, and other cardiac complications. As her son grew up, Laura came to know more about Effexor birth defects linked to pregnancy and many cases similar to her. At four, the boy continued to receive special care for his heart condition, low immunity, and persistent respiratory problems. Laura is one of the hundreds of parents who have filed Effexor birth defect lawsuits seeking damages.

Things To Know About Effexor Birth Defects

Effexor, a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, contains Venlafaxine that regulates neurotransmitters responsible for mood swing.
The drug was first introduced in 1993. Wyeth was the original manufacturer of the antidepressant. Pfizer took over Wyeth in 2009 and it now owns the brand Effexor.
Effexor is prescribed to treat anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. The drug is also used in case of bipolar disorder, diabetic neuropathy, and migraines.
The SNRI antidepressant use during has been linked to fatal birth defects, such as persistent pulmonary hypertension. This lung-disabling disorder is the key deformity behind the development of the acronym “Effexor Baby.”
The medication is also associated with many types of heart deformities, such as septal heart, fused heart, hole in the heart, ventral and atrial defects, underdeveloped valves, septum wall defects, and omphalocele, in newborns.
Other Zoloft birth defect side effects include hypoxemia, intra-cardiac blood shunting, cranial defects, brain and skull malformations, slow brain development, speech impairment, growth delays, deformities in vertebra, defective neural tube, and various physical deformities.
In 2006, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine warned of six-time higher risk of PPHN in babies born to mothers using the antidepressant after 20th week of pregnancy. Health Canada issued a public health warning regarding Effexor pregnancy side effects same year.
The British Medical Journal has published many research reports linking the antidepressant to birth defects. A 2009 study warned of twice higher risk of heart problems while another reported in 2013 made autism risk claims based on the study of over 100,000 patients. In 2014, a third one reportedly discovered that Effexor ingestion by pregnant women enhanced the risk giving birth to children with PPHN by 2.5 times.
Studies by Swedish and English scholars have discovered links between the antidepressant and brain malformations, neurological disorders, vertebra deformities, and anencephaly in newborns.

If your child is a victim of Effexor birth defect and you are willing to seek financial damages for product liability, please contact our Effexor birth defect lawyer or call on 1-800-632-1404 for a free consultation.

July 23, 2015

Does Effexor Cause Birth Defect?

The incidences of Effexor birth defect leading to fatal and non-fatal complications in newborns has led to the coinage of a medical term “Effexor Baby.” The word denotes babies suffering from heart, lung, cranial, neurological, and physical deformities due to exposure to the SNRI antidepressant during pregnancy. Introduced in 1993, Effexor containing venlafaxine was considered safe by thousands of pregnant women to safeguard their yet-to-born child from psychological disorders they are suffering from. However, many of them were unlucky with Effexor antidepressant causing serious birth defects and life-time health problems in their children.

Effexor and Heart Birth Defects

A large number of Effexor defect lawsuits claim congenital birth defects in children born to mothers treated with the drug during pregnancy. Most reported Effexor heart birth defects include,

neonatal cardiac complications
hypoplastic heart
absence or malformation of aorta
fallot syndrome
septal defects.
pulmonary valve deformities
need for open-heart surgery
pulmonary stenosis
heart hole

According to research reports, women using the antidepressant up to the 12^th week of pregnancy are 60 percent more likely to have babies with heart defects. A 2009 British Medical Journal report cited potential two-fold higher risk of cardiac complications in Effexor babies. Danish scholars also made similar revelations linking the drug to neonatal heart defects while a 2013 BMJ report based on an analysis of over 100,000 case histories provided supportive evidence. Effexor birth defect lawyers claim that babies as old as for months had open heart surgery due to drug-linked cardiac complications.

Effexor and Lung Birth Defects

Effexor birth defects include persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN), a fatal lung disorder. The highest numbers of Effexor lawsuits filed over the death of newborns highlight the lung disorder a cause. Blood vessels in the newborns fail to shut properly causing the lungs being deprived of blood and leading to circulatory failure. Oxygen fails to reach in other body parts resulting in death and near-fatal conditions.

A New England Journal of Medicine report claims that Effexor pregnancy side effects enhance the PPHN risk by six fold. The British Medical Journal published a report in January 2014 citing “2.5-time rise in the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension in children born with side effects of antidepressants.” Researchers evaluated findings of seven studies on the antidepressant pregnancy side effects.

Effexor and Cranial Birth Defects

Effexor birth defects may cause children born with brain malformations, cranial disorders, craniosynostosis, anencephaly, and fused skull. The Neuropsychopharmacology journal highlights the increased risk of “Chiari type 1” brain malformations in Effexor babies. Published in May 2014, the report warned that “these mal formations in the cerebellum impact balance, coordination, muscle movement and cognitive functions while squeezing out the spinal canal.”

According to a Anglo-Swedish studies reported in the British Medical Journal, Effexor cause babies to suffer from anencephaly, cranial defects, vertebra deformities, and seizures.

Effexor and Neurological Birth Defects

A 2013 British Medical Journal report warned of two-fold more risk of autism spectrum disorders in children born following Effexor ingestion by mothers. The antidepressant exposure also leads to poor hand-eye coordination, depression, headaches and walking and grasping problems. The FDA also agreed in 2004 on the potential neonatal behavioral syndrome in newborns linked to antidepressant pregnancy side effects.

Apart from heightened autism risk, these babies may suffer from “developmental delays, communication inability, attention disorders, self-absorption, and behavioral problems,” claims a 2011 report in the Archives of General Psychiatry. The Pediatrics journal has also published studies highlighting growth and development problems in children linked to antidepressant ingestion by pregnant mothers.

Effexor and Physical Deformities

Effexor birth defect lawyers have highlighted several instances of underdeveloped organs, club foot, cleft lip and palate, neural tube defects, and vertebra deformities in newborns following Effexor use during pregnancy. A 2012 advisory by the American Academy of Pediatrics also warned of physical deformities and birth defects in babies due to prenatal side effects Effexor and similar antidepressants.

If your child is a victim of Effexor birth defect and you are willing pursue defective medical device product liability lawsuit seeking financial damages, please contact our team of Effexor birth defect lawyers today at 1-800-632-1404 for a free consultation.

April 22, 2015

Why Ingesting Effexor During Pregnancy Is Unsafe, May Lead to Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit

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A recent Effexor birth defect lawsuit filed by a Kentucky mother alleges that her son was born with heart and other abnormalities following her use of the SNRI antidepressant. The mother was prescribed the drug just a year before she conceived and continued it until her second trimester. She came to know about its potential side effects only a few years ago after a medical journal cited two-fold greater risk of heart and other birth defects associated with the drug pregnancy side effects, her Kentucky Effexor birth defect attorney claimed. Her doctor was not even aware of any Effexor birth defect risk in the absence of any such information by the manufacturer.

The first Effexor birth defect lawsuit was initiated by an Ohio couple in 2012 after research reports highlighted link between congenital lung, heart, brain, and other abnormalities and antidepressants. Until then, the drug was purchased by millions who were made to believe by the manufacturer that it was safer than SSRI and other medications with enhanced ability to treat patients suffering from depression.

The federal Effexor MDL has expanded manifold in the past three years with more and more mothers coming forward to file lawsuits. Effexor birth defect lawyers in Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, and other states are now evaluating hundreds of claims citing “failure to warn, design defect, negligent design, fraud, breach of warranty, gross negligence, and violation of Consumer Sales Practices Acts.”

Studies Warn of Effexor Birth Defects

There are many research studies and clinical evaluations discovering a possible link between antidepressant pregnancy side effects and congenital deformities in newborns. These reports help a Kentucky Effexor birth defect attorney, plaintiffs, and consumer activists to identify the exact nature of injuries and relate it to antidepressant adverse impacts.

In 2002, a group of Australian researchers found that the antidepressant medication was prone to causing toxicity. Four years later, the New England Journal of Medicine warned of fatal lung disorder in newborn babies linked to Effexor. Known as Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension (PPHN), the disorders inhibits the function of lungs immediately after birth and results in acute circulatory distress.

A report endorsed by the Canadian Medical Association warned of two-fold threat of miscarriages following Effexor use. Published in 2010, it cautioned expectant mothers against taking the antidepressant except when benefits were expected to be worthy of such a risk. The FDA has also categorized the drug as Pregnancy C category, which means “risk not ruled out and animal reproduction studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus, though there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in humans, but potential benefits may warrant use of the drug in pregnant women despite potential risks.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics notified its members in 2012 of potential Effexor birth defects. According to the British Medical Journal, Effexor birth defects may include physical abnormalities, heart defects, and congenital deformities. Mothers may suffer from post-delivery bleeding while there is two-time higher threat of babies born with hypoplastic hearts.

A group of researchers from Denmark discovered that Effexor exposure during prenatal stage may lead to delayed development and growth in children. There are also reports of autism, spina bifida, and brain malformations associated with antidepressant pregnancy side effects.

Reported Effexor Birth Defects

According to Effexor birth defect lawsuits filed in the past three years, the antidepressant ingestion by pregnant woman caused babies born with

heart defects, such as neonatal cardiac complications fused heart, septal holes, ventral abnormalities, defective valves
lung disorders, such as PPHN and hypoplastic lungs
circulatory problems and Fallot syndrome
cranial problems, such as craniosynostosis, anencephaly, fused skull, brain malformations, and development delays
club foot, cleft lip and palate
infant death or surgery due to underdeveloped organs

There are many studies and claims being evaluated by our Effexor birth defect attorney in Kentucky claim damaged intestine, anus malformations, spinal defects, autism, deformed vertebra, abdominal large head, and various types of limb defects.

If your child is a victim of Effexor birth defect and you are willing pursue defective medical device product liability lawsuit seeking financial damages, please contact our experienced Effexor birth defect attorney in Kentucky or call on 1-800-632-1404 for a free consultation.

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NOTE: Our team of attorneys will review potential cases for all fifty states, including Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin and Wyoming.

April 22, 2015April 22, 2015

Tennessee Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit FAQs

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Who can file an Effexor birth defect lawsuit?

If your child is born with congenital defects following ingestion of the antidepressant during pregnancy, you can file a Tennessee Effexor birth defect lawsuit claiming product liability and seeking damages. Even children affected by birth injuries associated with the drug can file litigations subject to the state statute of limitations. Contact a Tennessee Effexor birth defect attorney to know about your claim.

What is Effexor antidepressant? When it was introduced?

Effexor is a SNRI antidepressant, a new generation medication, prescribed to patients with anxiety, panic, and depressive disorders. Also known by its generic version venlafaxine, it was approved for use in 1993.

Who makes Effexor?

The antidepressant was introduced by Wyeth, which was merged with Pfizer in 2009. Now, Pfizer is defending against claims asserted in lawsuits pertaining to Effexor birth defects.

What is SNRI antidepressant?

Effexor is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor antidepressant. The drug inhibits use of serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmitters known to impact mood change in patients with depression and anxiety. It is a generation ahead of SSRI or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor drugs.

Why there are Effexor birth defect lawsuits?

Over 100 birth defect lawsuits have been filed claiming that Effexor side effects during pregnancy resulted in various congenital injuries in newborns. The drug, thus, is not safe for use by pregnant woman contrary to the claims of the manufacturer.

Effexor birth defect lawyers in Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, and other states push for product liability claims against Pfizer for “failure to warn, design defect, negligence, negligent design, fraud, breach of warranty, gross negligence, and violation of Consumer Sales Practices Acts” that resulted in children born with birth defects.

What are Effexor birth defects?

The most reported Effexor birth defects include,

Persistent pulmonary hypertension
Cranial, neural tube, and brain anomalies
Hypoplastic heart syndrome
Septal and ventral defects
Hypoplastic lungs
Underdeveloped organs
Spina bifida, genetic hernia
Infant intestine damage
Malformations in anus, vertebra, heart, and arota
Clubbed foot
Development and growth delays
Neurological disorders
Cleft lip and cleft palate

Is there any medical study linking Effexor to birth defects?

Yes, there are many such research reports that are often cited by an Effexor birth defect attorney to support the product liability claim. All major medical and health journals, including the British Medical Journal, the New England Journal of Medicine, and the Pediatrics, have made many such revelations.

Who should I sue for Effexor birth defects?

You may file a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer of the antidepressant. Contact a specialist Effexor birth defect lawyer in Tennessee to know the process of filing any drug injury litigation.

Is there any statute of limitations for Effexor birth defect lawsuit?

According to the Tennessee statute of limitations, you have one year for filing a birth injury litigation. The time frame begins either from the date of injury or the discovery of injury. This time period may be tolled for a minor or disability. You should contact a Tennessee Effexor birth defect lawyer for help.

What are the compensations Effexor birth defect victims can claim?

You can claim a number of financial, non-financial, and punitive damages, including recovery of past, present, and future medical costs. Know the Effexor birth injury lawsuit compensation details.

What should I do if I took Effexor while pregnant and my infant was born with birth defects?

Contact our experienced Effexor birth defect attorney practicing in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arkansas to have a free consultation and evaluation.

Why should I speak to an Effexor Lawyer?

A personal injury case involves a number of legal and medical challenges. Help of a skilled Effexor lawyer comes handy in collecting medical records, expert testimony, linking injuries to evidence, and effect a favorable settlement.

What will an Effexor birth defect lawsuit cost?

We fight all Effexor birth defect lawsuits on no-win, no-fee basis. Plaintiffs have no liability. We take upon the duty to fight on their behalf and charge a fee only when we win the litigation and succeeded in getting compensation for them.

What are the results of Effexor lawsuits so far?

All Effexor birth defect lawsuits filed so far are centralized at a Pennsylvania district court. The first trial is expected later this year.

If you or your children have suffered from antidepressant birth defects, please call on 1-800-632-1404 to consult an expert Effexor birth defect attorney in Tennessee.

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March 5, 2015

Arkansas Effexor Birth Defect Attorney Explores Antidepressant Pregnancy Side Effects

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The stories of “Effexor babies” and their mothers who took to the antidepressant only to endure life-long emotional heartbreak sadden any Arkansas Effexor birth defect attorney evaluating or fighting their lawsuits. Carried away by “safe and secure” claims and money-driven advertisements, these unsuspecting mothers were hardly aware of what could befall on their family following the ingestion of the antidepressant. Over 1,500 adverse events have been reported to the FDA citing congenital heart defects, fatal lung disorders, cranial deformities, death, and other serious Effexor birth defects.

Most Reported Effexor Birth Defect Side Effects

An Effexor birth defect lawyer in Arkansas comes across claims by plaintiffs citing the following major pregnancy side effects caused by the antidepressant:

Fatal lung disorder known as persistent pulmonary hypertension
Life-threatening heart defects
Cranial defects and underdeveloped brain
Premature birth
Congenital neural-tube, abdominal, skull, septum wall, cardiac, and anus deformities
Physical deformities
Cleft lip and palate
Delay in growth and mental development
Intellectual disabilities, including Autism

Warning on Effexor Birth Defect Side Effects

In 2012, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued an Effexor birth defect advisory for expectant mothers asking doctors to avoid prescribing the drug. Effexor antidepressant is placed by the FDA among the category C medications with a caution that it may cause potential birth injuries in children when ingested by pregnant women. The Health Canada has issued a public alert, informing consumers of possible birth defect risks related to use during pregnancy.

There are also many research reports that assist a Arkansas Effexor birth defect attorney to reinforce the claim of parents of Effexor babies in the court. A 2009 report in the British Medical Journal warned of two-time increased risk of heart defects in newborns because of prenatal Effexor side effects. Another report published earlier in the New England Journal of Medicine highlighted a six-time higher risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns because of Effexor crossing through placenta.

Effexor Baby Experiences

A couple allegedly lost their daughter to an Effexor birth defect side effects within two months of her birth. The mother had a history of family depression, and she was prescribed Effexor to treat her condition. Even she was on the medication when got pregnant as her consulting doctor was not sure if there was any scientific evidence linking Effexor side effects on the fetus. When the mother experienced premature labor, the hospital staff prepared themselves for “an Effexor baby” after discovering that she was on the medication. The couple learned about the hazard of Effexor birth injuries from the staff.

The newborn daughter had many birth defects, including circulatory problems, and she spent most of her two-month life in hospitals. On her last day, she suddenly stopped breathing. Though she was revived by doctors, oxygen deprivation had already damaged her brain to a great extent and she succumbed to the condition.

Another couple has sought an undisclosed amount in damages from Pfizer claiming that its antidepressant medication Pfizer was responsible for causing birth defects in their daughter. The Effexor birth injury lawsuit filed by them in a federal court describes the antidepressant as imperfect and unsafe for pregnant women. According to the lawyer representing the couple, the child was born with serious congenital defects because of the use of Effexor by the mother while she was pregnant. She has undergone several surgeries to treat her severe heart defect and is expected to have more surgeries in the future to keep her heart free from life-threatening problems.

Effexor Lawsuits

Hundreds of plaintiffs have already filed Effexor birth defect lawsuits, alleging that nondisclosure of pregnancy side effects by the manufacturer was responsible for “suffering, disability, disfigurement, impairment of working ability, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment, and need for constant medical care” of their children. While the MDL set up in a Pennsylvania district court is expanding with the filing of new litigations, Effexor birth defect lawyers in Arkansas are busy evaluating potential claims of state residents.

“Failure to warn, design defect, negligence, negligent design, fraud, breach of warranty, gross negligence, and violation of Consumer Sales Practices Acts” form the basis of product liability claims against the drug manufacturer.

If you or your children have suffered from antidepressant birth defects, please call on 1-800-632-1404 to consult an Effexor birth defect attorney in Arkansas today.

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March 5, 2015

Arkansas Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit: Antidepressant Causes Holes in the Heart of Newborns

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According to an Effexor lawsuit filed by an Arkansas mother, pregnant women using the antidepressant face the risk of having babies with holes in their hearts. Her claim is not just one of its type, as successive researchers have also underlined the risk of various types of heart deformities associated with Effexor, Pfizer’s blockbuster SNRI antidepressant. The FDA has received over 1,000 Effexor baby complaints (2013 figures), including more than 208 citing heart-related deformities in children.

Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit Arkansas

The plaintiff ingested Effexor during the first three months of her pregnancy. She was unaware of any potential birth defect in her baby to be caused by the antidepressant in the absence of any such warning by the drug manufacturer. However, taking 150gm of daily dose created havoc in her life. Her daughter was born with “a hole in her heart,” commonly known as atrial septal defect, that might lead to life-long cardiovascular complications. The child has been under regular medical supervision ever since her birth.

The congenital heart defect is detected when deformities allow a gap in the interatrial septum, the wall-like membrane separating the upper chambers. This causes blood to flow between atrial chambers and mixing of oxygen-rich blood with blood not rich with oxygen, as the later does not follow the proper circulatory procedure and sneaks in through the septal hole.

The gap results in impaired cardiovascular functions, poor blood circulation, and depleted blood oxygen level. Brain and other vital organs may feel the pinch of oxygen deficiency. The Arkansas Effexor birth defect lawsuit seeks past, present, and future medical costs, compensation for suffering, and punitive damages.

Another woman gave birth to a “zombie-like child without heart beat” after taking the antidepressant for months prior to her delivery. The child was almost died before doctors resurrected and put him under neonatal intensive care. After nine years, even today the child suffers from complications linked to hypoplastic heart, immunity problems, and neurological disorders, says Effexor birth defect attorney representing the Arkansas mother.

Effexor Birth Defect Research on Heart Problems in Newborn

Effexor was approved by FDA in 1993. It contains Venlafaxine, a SNRI-class antidepressant. It inhibits serotonin and norepinephrine, two neurotransmitters that control human mood. Doctors widely prescribe the drug to those having obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression, and fibromyalgia syndrome. The drug has become one of the most-prescribed antidepressants in the last two decades.

Effexor Birth Defect Research Studies

Multiple research reports detailing the association between antidepressant and congenital heart problems have been a great source of education and legal help for parents of children with Effexor birth defects and any Arkansas lawyer representing them. In 2009, findings reported in the British Medical Journal warned of double risk of cardiovascular deformities due to prenatal venlafaxine exposure.

International researchers have also cautioned against Effexor ingestion by expectant women, as it increases the threat of newborn birth defects by 40% and causes heart deformities with a chance of 60 percent. Septal defect is the most commonly occurring antidepressant heart defect in newborns. A group of Danish researchers has advised pregnant women to discontinue the drug prior to their conception.

Effexor Birth Heart Defects

Hole in the heart caused by septal defects
Hypoplastic heart syndrome
Ventral defect that also cause hole and impact heart functions
Pulmonary stenosis
Persistent pulmonary hypertension
Aorta deformities
Circulatory distress
Neonatal cardiac complications
Blue baby syndrome
Defective heart valves

These Effexor-linked heart defects lead to blood circulation distress, low blood-oxygen level, heart disorders, blood pressure, life-long complications, and frequent hospitalization. Most of these problems require one or more open-heart surgeries and other surgical interventions. There were reports about how a six-month-old baby had open heart procedures and another undergoing similar surgery twice within five years.

To know about the process for filing and pursuing Effexor birth defect lawsuit, please call on 1-800-632-1404 or contact our team of Effexor Birth Defect Attorneys in Arkansas.

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March 5, 2015

Tennessee Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit: Antidepressant Results in Fatal Lung Disorder in Newborns

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A Tennessee Effexor birth defect lawsuit filed last year claimed that the antidepressant is defective and could cause persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN), a fatal disorder that impairs the functioning of lungs in newborns. PPHN is the one of the most significant adverse events associated with Effexor along with heart and brain malformations. The defect prevents blood-oxygen circulation as the lungs fail to function soon after the birth and it may lead to acute life-threatening respiratory distress.

Tennessee Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit

The unwary mother continued taking the Effexor antidepressant during her pregnancy, as there was no information from the manufacturer citing potential risk of birth defect in her would-be son. However, the mother’s efforts to secure the child from her adverse emotional state during pregnancy did not bear any fruit. It, rather, endangered his life.

The boy was born with an acute respiratory problem and could not breathe, as his lungs did not function properly, claims the Effexor birth defect lawyer representing the Tennessee couple. Doctors put him on a ventilator for weeks and even carried out a few neonatal intensive care procedures. Though they succeeded in rescuing the child, lack of blood-oxygen supply partially damaged his brain and other organs causing medical conditions that would require life-long treatment and support.

The Tennessee Effexor birth defect lawsuit blames the failure of the manufacturers for “the near-fatal condition, suffering, disability, impairment of working ability, and need for constant medical care” of the child and “mental anguish, loss of enjoyment, financial losses, and suffering” of the parents.

What is PPHN?

PPHN is a severe respiratory distress that can be life-threatening if continues for a few minutes. During the prenatal phase, the child receives oxygen through the neural tube. However, the lungs take over the duty of oxygen supply soon after the child is born. Effexor may cause certain side effects during pregnancy that impair this ability of lungs. Acute respiratory distress impacts the flow of blood oxygen through pulmonary arteries. This increases the blood pressure to such a level that vital organs can be damaged in the absence of adequate blood oxygen.

Newborns with PPHN exhibit signs, such as

Acute breathing disorder
Increased heart rate
Respiratory syndromes
Blood circulation failure
Seizures and consequent heart and kidney problems

A number of Effexor birth defect lawsuits filed in the recent years claim PPHN-related injury or wrongful death attributed to prenatal Effexor side effects. The New England Journal of Medicine published a report in 2006 associating the antidepressant pregnancy side effects to PPHN. It warned of six-time higher risk in such a condition, if the drug is ingested “on or after 20^th week of pregnancy.”

Other Serious Effexor Birth Defects

Neural-tube defects
Hypoplastic heart
Heart valve defects
Skull and cranial deformities
Abdominal wall defect
Anus deformities

A 2013 report claimed that ingesting Effexor during pregnancy doubles the risk of birth defects in children. Published in the British Medical Journal, the findings were based on the analysis of over 100,000 case studies.

Effexor birth defect lawyers across Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Kentucky, and other states are evaluating potential litigation claims of mothers against Pfizer and Wyeth. These product allegations range from physical defects to underdeveloped internal organs, autism, wrongful deaths, and serious medical conditions blamed on the failure of manufacturers to warn about such adverse events.

To know about the process of filing and pursuing a birth defect lawsuit demanding financial and non-financial damages, please call on 1-800-632-1404 or contact our team of Effexor birth defect attorneys in Tennessee.

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March 5, 2015

Tennessee Effexor Birth Injury Lawyer Discusses Lawsuits

FREE CASE EVALUATION: 1-800-632-1404

Prenatal exposure to the Effexor antidepressant during early pregnancy may cause serious congenital deformities. This article is an attempt to apprise parents of their children about their right to seek compensation from the drug manufacturer. To know more about the process of filing and pursuing a lawsuit seeking financial and non-financial compensation, please call on 1-800-632-1404 or contact our team of Tennessee Effexor birth injury lawyer today.

The medical sector is stirred with debate over how safe and beneficial is Effexor antidepressant for pregnant mothers. With over 1,500 Medwatch complaints and more than 100 lawsuits, the antidepressant is blamed for hundreds of children born with serious birth defects. The silence of manufacturers about these potential side effects, even in the face of multiple research findings, has forced parents and children to endure life-long physical and emotional scars.

While many Effexor babies succumbed to fatal persistent pulmonary hypertension and fused brains, one around six-month old had an open heart surgery. Effexor birth defects have also resulted in multiple valve and other complicated surgeries in children as young as five.

What Are Most Common Effexor Birth Defects

There are a range of antidepressant fatal and non-fatal side effects that may jeopardize the life and health of children during the prenatal stage. It is common for an Effexor birth defect lawyer in Tennessee to evaluate damage claims linking the drug to the following side effects in children including:

Septal and ventral deformities frequently referred to as hole in the heart.
Heart disorders, such as underdeveloped/ fused heart, flawed valves, pulmonary stenosis, and neonatal cardiac complications
Near-fatal lung distress and blue baby syndrome caused by persistent pulmonary hypertension
Cranial deformities, fused skull, brain malformations
Spinal, neural tube, and vertebra defects
Growth and development problems
Neurological events, such as seizure and withdrawal symptoms
Malformations in anus and abdomen

Effexor has also been blamed for causing miscarriages, gastrointestinal bleeding, and postpartum bleeding in women users.

Effexor Lawsuits, Types of Compensation

Parents have the right to seek damages for the wrongful death or birth defects of children traced to Effexor ingestion during pregnancy. Such compensations to be claimed include:

Medical cost recovery and future medical expenditure
Financial damages for monetary losses
Punitive damages
Non-financial damages for physical and psychological suffering

Compensation amount varies from litigation to litigation depending on degree of injury, liability of the manufacturer, state law, and condition of the victim. You should discuss your claim with an Effexor birth injury lawyer.

Status of Pending Litigation

Ever since the first Effexor birth defect lawsuit was initiated by Ohio resident Lauren Boyer in 2012, two years after her newborn daughter succumbed to birth injuries, about 100 Effexor cases have been filed against Wyeth and Pfizer. Overseen by Pennsylvania Judge Cynthia Rufe, the federally imposed Multi-District Litigation continues to expand.

The claims are based on the contention that the drug maker’s “failure to warn, design defect, negligence, negligent design, fraud, breach of warranty, gross negligence, and violation of Consumer Sales Practices Acts” led to birth defects in children.

Contact an Effexor Birth Defect Lawyer Today.

If your child was born with a birth defect and you or a loved one took Effexor during the first trimester or pregnancy, please contact us immediately.

For a Free Case Evaluation:

TOLL FREE: 1-800-632-1404

EMAIL: click here

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