Why are Zofran Lawsuits Being Filed?
Stern Law’s experienced drug product attorneys are currently litigating cases involving Zofran. If you took prescription Zofran while pregnant, and your child was born with a congenital defect, contact us today to see if you might have claim for damages against the manufacturer.
Zofran, also known by its chemical name, ondansetron, is a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist. It is a tablet manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) that was designed for prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy and radiation treatment in cancer patients, as well as for general postoperative nausea.
Though Zofran was intended for treatment of specific instances of nausea and vomiting, the drug eventually became widely prescribed for nausea and vomiting in pregnant women, commonly known as morning sickness. Morning sickness is not an approved use for the drug, and using Zofran while pregnant can cause birth defects.
Birth defects most frequently associated with use of Zofran include:
- Club foot
- Cleft palate
- Cleft lip
- Heart defects
- Skull deformities
While it is impossible for manufacturers of prescription drugs to make medications with zero side effects, they do have an ongoing obligation to warn patients and doctors about the dangers of their drugs. Women seeking a remedy for their pregnancy symptoms had no way of knowing about the side effects of taking Zofran. Law firms across the country, including Stern Law, PLLC, have filed suit against GSK alleging it failed to provide warning information regarding the risk of birth defects in pregnant women taking Zofran.
In addition, these lawsuits allege GSK knew about and actually encouraged within the medical community the off-label use of Zofran for morning sickness without conducting appropriate testing, without seeking approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and without updating its label to include potential side effects.
Because of the volume of claimants, Zofran cases have been centralized in one court in the District of Massachusetts in what is known as a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL). This court will oversee all pretrial matters and preside over the first Zofran trials.
Contact Stern Law, PLLC
At Stern Law, PLLC, we are committed to helping victims of drug injuries move forward with the compensation they deserve. If you took Zofran while pregnant, and your child has a birth defect, contact Stern Law, PLLC, at (844) 808-7529, to schedule a free consultation with one of our compassionate product liability attorneys.
