A Simple Guide To Filing Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit

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.

March 2, 2015

Effexor Attorney Highlights Heart Birth Defect Risk Linked To Antidepressant

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The first Effexor lawsuit filed in 2012 was a sordid tale of agony and suffering that no mother ever likes to have even in her wildest dream. When Ohio resident Lauren Boyer began taking the antidepressant, her primary concern was to save the baby in her womb from mental depression she was going through. According to her Effexor attorney, she was “overjoyed to learn that they would be having a baby girl, who they named Adelaide; however, shortly after taking her first breath on February 11, 2010, it was discovered that Adelaide suffered lethal cardiac anomalies, including severe left hypoplastic heart, a malformed aorta, no aortic value, a malformed mitral valve and other related conditions.”

The infant died due to fatal birth defects that her parents linked to Effexor antidepressant pregnancy side effects. The product liability litigation has sought strict liability on 17 counts, including design defect, fraud and misrepresentation, and failure to warn.”

Effexor Birth Defect Leads To Open Heart Surgery in Six-Month Old

A six-month old boy had open heart surgery following antidepressant side effects, claims another Effexor birth defects filed by an Arizona mother. The son was born with “valve defects, aortic stenosis, and other cardiac complications” following ingestion of the antidepressant drug by his mother during pregnancy. Doctors performed “cardiac catheterization and a valvuloplasty” when he was just four-day old, but the complications continued to endanger his life and insertion of “an artificial pulmonary valve through required open heart surgery” at the age of six months, claims the Effexor attorney representing the family.

The boy also has many minor and major heart stabilization procedures, including a second heart surgery at the age of four, till date. Experts monitoring the boy have advised for a transplant to prevent periodic surgeries to replace heart valves. According to the Effexor birth defect lawsuit, parents came to know about link between Effexor pregnancy side effects and the condition of their son in 2012, after research studies and lawsuits highlighted similar events.

Effexor Birth Injury Lawsuit for Heart Defects

The major Effexor heart defects reported so far, by both parents and researchers, include the following types of injuries.

Neonatal cardiac complications leading to circulatory distress and frequent hospitalization
Hypoplastic heart syndrome caused by underdeveloped left ventricle and requiring surgical intervention.
Persistent pulmonary hypertension or failure of blood circulation to reach the lungs
Absence or malformation of aorta that severely compromise the infants’ ability to keep on circulatory mechanism.
Fallot syndrome, a factor leading to blue baby syndrome, heart murmur, and low blood-oxygen level, caused by septal defects.
Valve defect or mitral valve deformities requiring open-heart surgery to implant pulmonary valves and replace them with the growth in age.
Pulmonary stenosis and atresia that results in pulmonary hypertension and circulatory obstructions leading to serious heart disorders in newborns.
Septal and ventral defects, commonly known as heart hole, impact circulatory pressure, blood flow, and heart functions.

Most of these Effexor heart defects require the children to undergo surgical intervention within days or months of their birth to survive. Despite surgeries, the quality of life of children born with these heart defects due to Effexor intake by mothers while pregnant are severely compromised and they face recurrent cardiovascular problems linked to congenital birth defects.

Effexor Birth Injury Heart Defects: Research Studies

Independent researchers have highlighted 40% more risk of Effexor birth injury if the antidepressant is used until the 12^th week of pregnancy. The newborns, in such a scenario, are 60 percent more likely to be diagnosed with heart defects.

Effexor, considered by many as a safer antidepressant alternative, has been linked to serious heart defects in children born to pregnant women using the medication. The SNRI drug introduced by Wyeth in 1993 and subsequently acquired by Pfizer is subject to hundreds of litigations for causing infant birth injuries, disability, cardiac abnormalities, lung defects, neural tube and brain abnormalities, fatal heart conditions, and death through prenatal exposure.

A British Medical Journal report has warned of two-fold higher risk of heart defects in newborns when exposed to Effexor during the first pregnancy trimester. While researchers identified septal defects as common Effexor birth injury heart problem, they also alerted that using more than one antidepressant may double the risk to four-fold.

Danish researchers claim that infants are likely to have potential congenital injuries, including heart defects, even when the antidepressant is taken by women within a month prior to her conception. According to the report, the risk increases with the progress in pregnancy.

To know about the process for filing and pursuing defective medical device product liability claims demanding financial and non-financial damages, please call on 1-800-632-1404 or contact our expert Effexor attorney.

Contact an Effexor Birth Defect Lawyer Today.

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

For a Free Case Evaluation:

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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.

December 12, 2014

Effexor Attorney: How Fatal Antidepressant Birth Defect Side Effects Are?

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How safe is it to use antidepressant during pregnancy? Talk to an Effexor attorney to know how women taking antidepressant drugs are/were fighting hard to save their children instead of enjoying the bliss of motherhood. Since 2005, there have been numerous research studies citing the serious risk of Effexor birth defects. Even the FDA had warned of potential birth injuries to newborns when antidepressants used by expectant mothers.

Effexor Birth Defects: The Fear Factor

Serious lung disorder
Heart defects, such as hypoplastic heart, septal flaws, valve problems, etc.
Brain and cranial defects, including anencephaly, chiari malformations
Autism and delays in growth and development
Deformities in neural tube
Spina bifida, vertebra and anus malformations
Neurological disorders
Cleft lip and palate, clubfoot

Effexor Antidepressant and Pregnancy: The Reality

Women taking Effexor or other SNRI and SSRI antidepressants unintentionally put their unborn babies at the risk of life-threatening birth defects in the absence of any information on such potential side effects by the manufacturer. A Mississippi woman gave birth to a girl child with heart defects and persistent pulmonary hypertension. Doctors categorized the newborn as an “Effexor baby” or those born with such injuries due to prenatal exposure to the SNRI antidepressant. The child, who remained in neonatal intensive care and had surgeries soon after the birth, requires life-long medical care now to live a normal life.

The mother took Effexor for five months until she gave birth to her daughter. Her Effexor attorney claims that “the drug is unreasonably dangerous/defective drug as specified by Mississippi law due to (Pfizer’s) failure to adequately warn patients and their physicians and the manufacturer acted with gross negligence which evidences a willful, wanton or reckless disregard for the safety of others, entitling both mother and daughter to punitive damages.”

An Ohio woman has filed an Effexor lawsuit saying that “the medication is defective, dangerous to human health, unfit and unsuitable to be marketed and sold in commerce and lacked proper warnings as to the dangers associated with its use.” She ingested antidepressant regularly while she was pregnant and came to know about its horrific side effects only after her son was born with atrial septal flaw and other cardiac birth defects. Her Effexor lawyer asserts that the child had congenital deformities as the manufacturer failed to list “about any birth defects and other serious pregnancy issues associated with the use of Effexor or emphasized within the Effexor prescribing information and/or drug label, which make many to believe that Effexor was safe for use during pregnancy and would not cause birth defects.”

Effexor Birth Defect Research: Reports Highlight Concern

Six-time higher risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension (lung disorder), New England Journal of Medicine, 2006
Two-fold risk of post-delivery hemorrhage and birth defects, British Medical Journal, August 2013
Severe heart defects and deformities in newborns, British Medical Journal, 2009
Delayed growth and development of children, speaking, walking, and sitting problems, Pediatrics Journal, March 2010
Effexor birth defect risk, American Academy of Pediatrics Advisory, 2012

Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit

Thousands of parents have lost their children or trying hard to ensure a normal life for them because “Pfizer and Wyeth took no action to adequately warn or remedy the risks, but instead concealed, suppressed and failed to disclose birth defect dangers” associated with Effexor. This mistake on the part of manufacturers forced parents and children suffer from life-long grief, pain, and economic losses.

Women or children subject to “suffering, disability, disfigurement, impairment of working ability, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment, and constant medical care” due to “manufacturer’s failure to warn, design defect, negligence, negligent design, fraud, breach of warranty, gross negligence, and violation of Consumer Sales Practices Acts” are at liberty to file Effexor product liability lawsuits.

An Effexor birth defect MDL has been created under Pennsylvania federal Judge Cynthia Rufe for pretrial consolidation of similar lawsuits. The first trial is expected to be held in November 2015.

To know about the process for filing Effexor lawsuit and pursue defective medical device product liability claims for financial and non-financial damages citing drug maker’s actions and inactions, please contact us or call on 1-800-632-1404.

Contact an Effexor Birth Defect Lawyer Today.

If your child was born with a birth defect and you or a loved one took Zoloft 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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November 21, 2014

Court Permits Direct Filing of Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit

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In a big relief for parents seeking to file Effexor birth defect lawsuits, the US federal court for Pennsylvania Eastern District, which handles the pretrial consolidation, have allowed direct filing into the MDL pool. Judge Cynthia M. Rufe issued the ruling with certain conditions considering that plaintiffs had almost identical claims and discovery proceedings and such a measure would mitigate time and resources lost in filing at other courts and transferring them later.

In 2013, the panel for federal multidistrict litigation ordered transferring of all Effexor birth defect lawsuits filed against Pfizer and its subsidiary Wyeth to the Eastern District Court of Pennsylvania. Judge Rufe was selected to preside over the pretrial consolidation of nine initial litigations, which has been expanded by almost 10 times in the last one year and likely to be increased manifold as Effexor attorneys busy reviewing thousands of potential lawsuits alleging antidepressant side effects on unborn children.

The centralization was aimed at accelerating the litigation process by reducing duplicative discovery and time-consuming processes and ending any chance of conflicting rulings while making expert witness deposition more convenient. November 2, 2015 is tentatively selected as the date for the first bellwether trial of federal Effexor birth defect lawsuits.

New Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit Order Set Conditions

According to the ruling dated September 2, 2014, the court permitted the entry of Effexor claims for birth defect injuries “to promote judicial efficiency” and subject to the following conditions.

Every claim filed into MDL directly should be a “single-plaintiff complaint” filed by an individual alone or with his family members for himself or on behalf of a deceased person.
One claim per child born with birth defects linked to Effexor exposure is allowed.
No multi-plaintiff complaint is allowed for direct filing without court approval.
All direct-filed Effexor litigations must comply with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
The lawsuit is required to give details, including

Details of specific defendants named in the litigation
Information on products blamed for birth defect
Date of birth of the child born with birth defect
If applicable, date of death of the child born with birth defect

Effexor Birth Defects

Heart defect: Hypoplastic heart syndrome, septal defects, valve problem, ventricular disorder
Respiratory defect: PPHN or Persistent Pulmonary hypertension, circulatory distress, acute long failure
Cranial defect: Skull deformities, Chiari Type 1 malformations, neural tube defects, underdeveloped brain
Physical defect: Anus deformities, vertebra defect, cleft palate, other bodily deformities
Neurological defect: Autism, disoriented development, failure to match growth milestones

Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuits

Several research reports and Effexor lawsuit have linked the antidepressant ingestion during pregnancy to birth defects in newborns. Marketed as the safest antidepressant, the drug is now put in the class of SSRI and SNRI drugs that pose serious threat to fetal development when taken by pregnant women. The recurring reports of children born with malformations, heart defects, PPHN and potential developmental delays associated with Effexor therapy, pregnant mothers are in quandary over balancing their mental health and preventing any impact on their unborn child.

Effexor attorneys representing plaintiffs filed in the recent years share allegations that Pfizer and Wyeth were aware of pregnancy side effects the drug, but did not release the data to ensure commercial gains. This led pregnant women to consider the drug safe and ingest it to treat their depression, which could have impacted the child in the womb. However, the antidepressant had its own side effects in the form of birth defects in children born to such mothers.

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 attorneys or call on 1-800-632-1404 for a free consultation.

Contact an Effexor Birth Defect Lawyer Today.

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

For a Free Case Evaluation:

TOLL FREE: 1-800-632-1404

EMAIL: click here

FILL OUT THIS FORM:

August 28, 2014

Effexor Lawsuit Sets for Nov 2015 Federal Trial

Effexor lawsuit claims serious birth defects.

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Depressed mothers-to-be face a dilemma in the face of increasing number of Effexor lawsuits finding fault with the antidepressant for neonatal birth defects. Research evidences indicate potential threats posed by Effexor to the fetal health because of the pregnancy-linked side effects of the once-popular antidepressant. Even medical professionals commonly use the phrase “Effexor Baby” to denote emergency and intensive care required to save newborns with adverse health conditions. The first federal trial of Effexor birth defect lawsuit scheduled for November 2, 2015 is expected to delineate the legality of injury claims against the drug manufacturer.

Research Reports Cause Surge in Effexor Lawsuit

In 2006, the New England Journal of Medicine warned of serious respiratory birth defects, such as Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension, in babies exposed to Effexor side effects during pregnancy. Researchers discovered a potential six-fold rise in the risk when the drug is taken after the 20th week of pregnancy. A Harvard University study reported in 2008 termed the efficacy of SSRI and SNRI antidepressants as “clinically insignificant” compared to other alternatives and due to the high risk of birth defects in infants. The British Medical Journal linked Effexor pregnancy side effects to double risk of heart defects in newborn in 2009.

These research studies triggered filing of Effexor lawsuits claiming birth defects. A U.S. epidemiological study published in December 2012 encouraged more parents to join the litigation. Sponsored by the Center for Disease Control, the report studied Effexor side effects on 19,000 pregnant women for 10 years until 2017. Researchers found a “statistically significant increase” in 30 types of congenital deformities when Effexor antidepressant was consumed between a month prior to the pregnancy and three months into the pregnancy.

A comprehensive review of 181 research studies reported in 2013 also suggested association between birth defects and Effexor side effects during pregnancy. In 2011, the antidepressant made headlines in Canada with the death of two infants in British Columbia. Both babies had Effexor birth defects traced to the antidepressant intake by mothers during pregnancy. One of the children, a two-month old boy, died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome while sleeping and the autopsy report blamed Effexor side effects as possible cause.

Effexor Lawsuit: Plaintiffs Seek Product Liability

The first bellwether trial of federal Effexor lawsuits subject to the MDL centralization at a Pennsylvania district court is scheduled for November 2015. Plaintiffs claim that failure of Wyeth and Pfizer to inform about Effexor side effects for pregnant women exposed their children to fatal conditions, disability, deformities, and other health disorders. A Philadelphia mother, one of the plaintiffs, gave birth to a baby girl with a fused skull after taking the drug while she was pregnant. Another couple had a baby boy with hypoplastic heart, a condition that requires surgical intervention and heart transplant.

According to another Effexor lawsuit filed by an Arizona couple, their four-day-old boy had catheterization and valvuloplasty necessitated by the antidepressant birth defects. Doctors performed two open heart procedures, first at the age of six months, and multiple minor heart surgeries to keep him alive. Parents believe that their child could have been protected from birth defects, had the manufacturer been honest in disclosing the potential pregnancy side effects of the antidepressant.

Most Reported Effexor Birth Defects

Persistent pulmonary hypertension or respiratory failure
Heart defects, including hypoplastic heart, septal deformities, and valve defects
Cranial deformities resulting in underdeveloped or fused brain and skull malformations
Neural tube and vertebra deformities
Delayed mental and physical development
Physical deformities caused by malformations in different parts of the body

Parents and children who have suffered from injuries, losses, and disability due to Effexor side effects have the right to demand compensation for economic and non-economic damages from the drug manufacturer. To know about the process for filing Effexor lawsuit and pursue defective medical device product liability claims citing drug maker’s actions and inactions, please contact us or call on 1-800-632-1404.

Contact an Effexor Birth Defect Lawyer Today.

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

For a Free Case Evaluation:

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August 22, 2014August 22, 2014

Effexor Birth Defect Attorney Comments on Effexor Injuries

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As attorneys that are representing children born with birth defects after taking Paxil, Wellbutrin, Zoloft, and Effexor, we wanted to advise that an Ohio woman has filed a lawsuit against GlaxoSmithKline with the client alleging Paxil caused birth defects.

Effexor Birth Defect: Antidepressant Pregnancy Side Effects Endanger Life of Newborns

Women taking Effexor to overcome anxiety and depressive disorders during pregnancy face the increased risk of giving birth to babies with heart and lung defects. Effexor birth defect lawsuits filed in the state and federal courts have blamed the SNRI antidepressant for causing malformations, physical deformities, underdeveloped internal organs, neonatal heart problems, and fatal respiratory distress in newborns. Research revelations have also warned of autism, growth problems, neo-behavioral syndrome, and inappropriate brain development, which may impact their quality of life forever.

Effexor Antidepressant: The Drug Profile

Wyeth, a Pfizer subsidiary since 2009, was permitted by the FDA to introduce Effexor in 1993. First of the SNRI antidepressants to hit the market, the Venlafaxine-containing drug was prescribed to adults subject to depression, anxiety, and panic disorders. The drug helps perk up serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmitters, which enhance the feeling of well being and keep anxiety away. The manufacturer’s claim of fewer side effects and better result led to an increased use of the drug by users, including pregnant women and the drug was listed as one among the 15 most prescribed medications in 2011.

However, the disclosure of the risk of Effexor birth defects in children born to mothers treated with the drug raises serious questions on the claim of the manufacturer and the efficacy of the antidepressant. Many of the women users have initiated Effexor birth defect lawsuits claiming compensation for the antidepressant pregnancy side effects that resulted in life-long heart complications, development problems, autism, and other fatal medical conditions in their children.

Effexor Birth Defect Research Studies

Effexor use during pregnancy cause two-fold increase in the risk of babies born with hypoplastic heart or valve problems. (British Medical Journal, 2009)
Developmental delays and autism are likely in babies exposed to Effexor during the prenatal stage. (Pediatrics journal, March 2010)
Persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns is due to Effexor birth defects caused by the antidepressant’s pregnancy side effects. (New England Journal of Medicine, 2006)
A survey of more than 100,000 case studies concluded that women treated with Effexor are twice more prone to have babies with birth defects than those not treated with it. (British Medical Journal, August 2013).

In 2004, a FDA advisory warned of possible association between Effexor pregnancy side effects and neonatal behavioral syndrome and neurological disorders in babies. The American Academy of Pediatrics also made a similar appeal to its members in 2012 to consider the risk of birth defects in children while prescribing the drug to expectant mothers.

Important Effexor Birth Defects

Lung disorders, such as Persistent pulmonary hypertension and acute respiratory distress
Cardiovascular problems, such as hypoplastic heart, faulty valves, septal hole, and circulatory distress inhibiting blood flow
Anus and vertebra malformations
Brain and skull deformities
Autism and neurological problems in children
Poor growth and development

Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit

Two of the earliest Effexor birth defect lawsuits filed by two Philadelphia families in August 2012 brought into light the horrible pregnancy-linked side effect injuries the antidepressant caused to children. Mothers took Effexor without being aware of its birth defect side effects. One gave birth to a girl with fused skull, a medical condition known as craniosynostosis. It caused immense pressure in the brain and the baby had to undergo surgery to make room inside her skull. The second mother’s baby had a hypoplastic heart with valves not fully developed. The conditions demand valve implants at different stages, and ongoing care and heart transplant is the only permanent solution.

The first Effexor birth defect lawsuit is expected to be tried in November 2015. Meanwhile, new litigations continue to pour in seeking product liability blaming the manufacturer for withholding vital clinical trial data indicating possible the pregnancy-linked side effects of the antidepressant.

Contact an Effexor Birth Defect Lawyer Today.

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

For a Free Case Evaluation:

TOLL FREE: 1-800-632-1404

EMAIL: click here

FILL OUT THIS FORM:

June 25, 2014

Effexor Pregnancy Side Effects: Antidepressant Linked to Autism in Children

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The decision of expectant mothers to use Effexor antidepressant to prevent their depressive disorders from creating health concerns for their yet-to-born child may backfire. More than 100 Effexor lawsuits and dozens of research studies published in the last two years have blamed the SNRI antidepressant drug for causing a number of fatal and non-fatal birth defects. Autism and development delays in children are also linked to Effexor already reported for causing pregnancy-linked heart and lung disorders and physical deformities in newborns.

Effexor Autism Side Effects

Researchers from Sweden and the United Kingdom have warned that pregnant mothers using antidepressants are twice at the risk of giving birth to children who are more likely to be diagnosed with autism. The study published in April 2013 in the British Medical Journal explored a close association between autism spectrum disorders and pregnancy-linked side effects of SSRI and SNRI antidepressants, such as Effexor, Paxil, Zoloft, etc.

The study investigated over 4,400 instances of autism in children in Sweden to conclude that at least one in every 167 children had the disorder related to the use of antidepressant during pregnancy. With overall antidepressant association explaining 0.6 percent of all incidences of autism, researchers concluded the existence of a two-fold rise in the risk of an autistic baby being born to a pregnant woman taking antidepressant medications.

Earlier, a July 2011 study reported in the Archives of General Psychiatry made a similar revelation about a two-fold increase in the possibility of autism risk in children born to mothers treated with SSRI and SNRI antidepressants after confirmation of their pregnancy. The autistic symptoms highlighted by researchers included communication inability, attention disorders, self-absorption, and behavioral problems.

Effexor Side Effects and Developmental Delays in Children

According to February 2010 research report, Effexor and similar antidepressants use by pregnant mothers may result in birth of children experiencing delayed growth and development. Published in the Pediatrics journal, the study highlighted instances where such children missed sitting and walking milestones by 15 to 30 days. A number of psychiatric case studies published in the recent years have also pointed to cognitive disorders in children born to mothers treated with antidepressant drugs, such as Effexor.

In 2004, the FDA issued a public health alert informing the risk of neonatal behavioral syndrome in children because of exposure to venlafaxine, the generic name of Effexor, during pregnancy. The children are likely to suffer from a number of neurological disorders, including tremors, sleep disorders, seizures, volatility, irritation, and restlessness because of the condition. The regulator also asked to consider threat-benefit analysis of antidepressants prior to use by pregnant women.

Effexor Lawsuits Claim Fatal Side Effects

At least 100 Effxor lawsuits filed in US federal courts have sought product liability from Wyeth, a Pfizer subsidiary, claiming that the manufacturer did not disclose antidepressant side effects during pregnancy despite research studies and clinical trials indicating the same. Plaintiffs have cited death and serious medical conditions of infants because of heart, cranial, and lung deformities associated with Effexor treatment during pregnancy.

If you or a loved one took Effexor and a child was born with birth defects,please fill out the form to the right or call us so that we can provide you with forms to evaluate your potential case immediately. You may also visit our Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit Information Source.

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June 25, 2014

Effexor Baby Lawsuit: Antidepressant Side Effects Prove Costly for Pregnant Mothers

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Effexor birth defect lawsuits filed in the recent months have claimed serious blemishes, disability, life-threatening injuries, and death of babies born to mothers treated with the SNRI antidepressant. Fatal lung and heart disorders along with a number of physical deformities in newborns have been linked to Effexor use by pregnant women.

The economic recession led to the loss of job and despair on the family front, forcing 30-year-old Florida resident Jen into depression. She was four-month pregnant at that time, and continued depression could have posed serious health problems to the child in her womb. Jen took Effexor on her doctor’s prescription. She was not aware of any Effexor pregnancy-linked side effects and continued the SNRI antidepressant medication for a while. Five months later, she had the most harrowing experience of life to suffer.

According to the Effexor birth defect lawsuit filed recently by a woman, she gave birth to an “Effexor baby,” a common acronym used by the medical community to refer to babies born with serious birth defects because of exposure to the antidepressant in their mother’s womb. Doctors started preparing for emergency conditions as soon as she admitted to using Effexor antidepressant during her pregnancy. Her son was born with a fatal lung disorder called persistent pulmonary hypertension and could not breath without ventilator support. Cranial and cardiovascular deformities were also found in the newborn and he succumbed to Effexor birth defects within days.

An Ohio couple had filed a 17-count Effexor lawsuit claiming that their newborn daughter died because of multiple heart deformities linked to the mother’s intake of the antidepressant during the third pregnancy trimester. The infant had a hypoplastic heart with underdeveloped heart valves and artery, a condition that research reports linked to the antidepressant exposure during pregnancy. Wyeth, the Pffizer subsidiary and drug manufacturer, failed to alert adequately consumers about “dangerous birth heart defects associated with Effexor’s use during pregnancy or remedy the risks” for economic gains, the Effexor lawsuit alleges.

Effexor Baby Symptoms

Effexor pregnancy side effects may cause birth problems, such as the following birth defects:

Fatal Effexor Birth Defects

ü Persistent pulmonary hypertension or no blood supply to the lungs

ü Hypoplastic left heart syndrome

ü Neural tube defects

ü Hypoplastic lungs

Non-Fatal Birth Defects Requiring Surgical/ Medical Intervention

ü Premature birth and underdeveloped organs

ü Clubbed foot

ü Spina bifida

ü Gastroschisis, a type of genetic hernia

ü Anus and vertebra deformities

ü Cleft lip and cleft palate

ü Development and growth delays

ü Infant intestine damage

ü Enlarged heart

ü Septal heart and heart valve defects

ü Arterial and aorta malformations

ü Cranial malformations, macrocephaly, and brain cysts

ü Withdrawal symptoms, including irritability, jitteriness, and vomiting

ü Neurological disorders, including as tremors, convulsions, and floppiness

Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuits

The MDL panel has selected Penn state Judge Cynthia M. Rufe for pretrial consolidation of over 100 federal Effexor lawsuits filed in the United States. Plaintiffs allege the manufacturer disregarded public safety for commercial gains and aggressively marketed the drug without disclosing the risk of potential birth defects in newborns linked to Effexor’s use during pregnancy as indicated during clinical trials.

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