Four Plaintiffs Have Filed A Zofran Lawsuit In Massachusetts

September 16, 2015 – – Recently, ZofranLegal.com announced that the fourth Massachusetts Zofran lawsuit had been filed. Three of the four lawsuits allege that the drug Zofran caused a cardiac defect in an unborn child, and the fourth alleges that the unborn child died in utero due to birth defects caused by exposure to Zofran.

Zofran is an anti-emetic drug that is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. Prior to receiving approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1991, GSK conducted multiple studies to determine the level of safety associated with using the drug. However, none of these studies were performed on pregnant women. As a result, the FDA only approved the drug for use in patients experiencing nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy and radiation treatments, or who were ill after being under anesthesia. Zofran was not awarded approval for the treatment of morning sickness.

Regardless of the absence of approval, GSK moved forward with a marketing campaign that promoted the use of Zofran “off-label” to treat morning sickness. Countless expectant mothers were prescribed the drug throughout their pregnancy. Since they first marketed the drug in this manner, GSK has allegedly received over 200 reports of children being born with birth defects after the mothers took Zofran.

The first Zofran lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on February 16th, 2015 under case number 1:15-cv-10429. The lawsuit alleges that a girl born in 2000 was born with numerous congenital defects after her mother began taking Zofran during her 1st trimester. The worst of these defects is an atrial septal defect of the heart. The lawsuit states that “In twelve years, the child has had to undergo ten surgeries to try and correct her numerous congenital abnormalities. These birth defects impair her development and enjoyment of a normal life at home and at school due to substantial developmental delays.”

The second Massachusetts complaint was filed in April 2105, under case number 1:15-11627. It alleges that because the plaintiff took Zofran, her unborn child was diagnosed with severe physical malformations which were life-threatening. These malformations resulted in the death of her child in utero. The complaint further alleges that “Had the plaintiff and/or her healthcare providers known of the increased risk of birth defects associated with Zofran, she would not have taken Zofran during pregnancy, and her pregnancy would have progressed to term with a healthy child.”

A few months later, on July 22nd, 2015, the third lawsuit was filed under case number 1:15-cv-13002-FDS. Like the first two complaints, the mother claims that she was not warned of the risks associated with the use of Zofran during her pregnancy and that “GSK’s conduct has caused devastating, irreversible, and life-long consequences and suffering to innocent newborns and their families.” Her daughter was born with a cardiac defect known as the Transposition of the Greater Vessels (TGV) and she required life-saving surgery just days after she was delivered.

The latest Zofran lawsuit in Massachusetts was filed on July 17th, 2015 under case number 1:15-cv-12973. The child, in this case, was born in 2007. Shortly after his birth he was found to have a congenital heart defect called a ventricular septal defect and a systolic ejection heart murmur.

These lawsuits are following a complaint that was filed by the U.S. Justice Department against GSK. That complaint alleged that GSK had unlawfully marketed several drugs, including Zofran, “off-label”. In a settlement agreed upon in 2012, GSK paid fines of three billion dollars.

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Contact ZofranLegal.com:

Michael Monheit
1-877-620-8411
michael@monheit.com
1368 Barrowdale Road, Rydal, PA 19046

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