Prozac Lawsuits Are Being Reviewed

Infants suffering birth defects resulting from their mothers’ taking Prozac, also known as Fluoxetine, may be entitled to seek compensation for their injuries by filing a Prozac lawsuit against Eli Lilly and Company, the makers of the antidepressant. If you believe that the antidepressant medication Prozac has harmed your child, a Florida birth defect attorney may be able to help you file a Prozac lawsuit and pursue a claim for damages. For more information, call (888) 444-8508.

Birth Defects from Prozac are one of the latest in a series of anti-depressant side effects that are being studied. This is a cause of concern more because many of the side effects related to the class of drugs to which Prozac belongs include side effects like cardiac defects, cleft lip and palate, clubfoot, limb defects, and more.

Prozac belongs to a class of drugs known as SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor). The drug is prescribed to treat major depression and general anxiety disorder. Prozac antidepressant medications and other SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) have reportedly been linked to a possible risk of certain birth defects. The following are reported SSRI and birth defects from Prozac:

• Atrial Septal Defects (ASD)
• Clubfoot
• Anal Atresia
• Autism
• Spina Bifida
• Ventricular Septal Defects (VSD)
• Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN)
• Tricuspid Valve (Ebstein’s Anomaly)
• Mitral Valve Prolapse
• Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA)
• Transposition of the Great Vessels (TGV)
• Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)
• Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)
• Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome (HRHS)
• Tricuspid Atresia
• Aortic Stenosis
• Pulmonary Atresia (PA)
• Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)
• Coarctation of the Aorta
• Truncus Arteriosus
• Tricuspid Valve Stenosis
• Heart Murmur
• Pulmonary Stenosis
• Gastroschisis – abdominal wall defect
• Esophageal Stenosis

The FDA issued a Public Health Advisory on December 8, 2005 warning that the use of certain antidepressants during the first trimester of pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of heart birth defects. The advisory was based on U.S. and Swedish studies showing that exposure to certain antidepressants increased the risk of cardiac defects, including atrial and ventricular septal defects, conditions in which the wall between the right and left sides of the heart is not completely developed.

The FDA released a Health Advisory on July 19, 2006, alerting women to the risks associated with taking SSRIs while pregnant. The advisory was based on a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that found that mothers who took SSRIs such as Prozac during the second half of their pregnancy were six times more likely to have a baby with Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in the Newborn (PPHN) than those who did not take SSRIs late in pregnancy. Eli Lilly and Company introduced Prozac to the market in 1987 for use as an antidepressant, as well as in treating a major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bulimia nervosa, panic disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. In 2010 Prozac was the third most prescribed antidepressant in the United States with well over 24 million prescriptions dispensed.

If your child has suffered birth defects from Prozac, a defective drug attorney may be able to pursue a Prozac lawsuit on your behalf. For more information, call (888) 444-8508 or fill out the free case evaluation form.