Zofran Injury Lawyers
Have you or a loved one suffered an injury due to taking the antiemetic medication Zofran? If so you may be entitled to benefits as well as monetary compensation. Speaking with, and ultimately retaining, a skilled Chicago Ilinois Zofran injury attorney is a wise move.
Please contact our Los Angeles California Zofran injury lawyers here for a free consultation. They handle Zofran lawsuit cases, which are mass tort claims, on a contingency fee basis which means they charge no legal fees of any kind unless they win for you.
What is Zofran?
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) are the manufacturers of Zofran, which is generically referred to as ondansetron. Zofran is used to treat nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. It works by blocking the actions of chemicals in the body that cause nausea and vomiting. Zofran has been available in generic form since 2006 and may be taken orally or by injection.
Zofran has been heavily marketed and prescribed by doctors to treat first trimester morning sickness. Pregnant women who used Zofran to treat morning sickness have an increased chance of giving birth to a baby that has a cleft palate or heart defect. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to approve Zofran to be taken by pregnant women.
Zofran & Birth Defects
Common birth defects caused by taking Zofran include the following:
- Cleft palate
- Heart defects
- Heart murmur
- Atrial septal defect
- Ventricular septal defect
- Cleft lip
- Kidney defects
- Fetal growth abnormalities
- Jaundice
The medical community has yet to produce overwhelming evidence to sufficiently confirm whether or not Zofran is unequivocally responsible for birth defects. There are studies however that indicate Zofran is responsible for two type of birth defects: cleft palate and septal heart defect. Zofran is transferred to the fetus through the placenta up to 12 weeks after conception.
The FDA has issued warnings regarding the increased risk of heart problems associated with taking Zofran. The FDA issued a recall for the 32 mg intravenous dose of Zofran due to its potential for cardiac risks. The FDA classifies ondansetron as a “pregnancy category B” drug. This means no animal studies have been conducted illustrating a fetal risk.
In addition to the birth defects described above, Zofran side effects also include the following:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Constipation
- Irregular heartbeat
- Impaired cognitive function and reaction time
Women who were prescribed Zofran have also suffered from cardiac problems and Serotonin Syndrome.
Zofran Lawsuits
GSK was ordered to pay a $3 billion dollar settlement in 2012 after the U.S. Department of Justice determined it was promoting Zofran for off label uses. GSK was also penalized for failing to report certain safety data and its engagement in false price reporting practices.
Depending on the nature of your injury, you may recover the following compensation:
- Current, past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Wrongful death
- Emotional distress
Pregnant women should exercise caution when taking Zofran. Schedule an appointment with your doctor if you may be concerned about your baby’s health after taking Zofran. If you ingested Zofran while pregnant, and your baby was born with a birth defect, contact our law office for a consultation. We can review your case and provide you with legal guidance on how to proceed in obtaining compensation.
Lawsuits against GSK are starting to arise across the U.S. Zofran product liability litigation is currently underway in Massachusetts (MDL No. 2657). Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV has been selected to preside over consolidated pretrial proceedings. Plaintiffs allege that GSK illegally promoted Zofran for off-label use during pregnancy and failed to warn the public of Zofran’s alleged risk.
No matter what state you were injured in our team of Philadelphia Pennsylvania Zofran injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys can help as they serve all 50 states and Washington D.C. including: Alabama, Alaska, 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, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wyoming and Wisconsin.