Wednesday, November 30, 2011

North Carolina Lawsuit Blames Zoloft for Baby’s Birth Defects



Zoloft, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant (SSRI), has been name in a lawsuit that claims it caused a baby to be born with Zoloft birth defects, including the fatal condition Persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns (PPHN), a serious respiratory disorder which could be suffered by a newborn after birth.  In some cases, PPHN could be caused by antidepressant side effects when the medications are taken during the pregnancy. On October 26, 2011, Amanda Brooke Pierce Phelps filed a Zoloft lawsuit against drug giant Pfizer in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York seeking in excess of $75,000 in damages. The newborn was diagnosed as having Tetralogy of Fallot, truncus arteriosus, ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, confluent branch pulmonary arteries, pulmonary valve atresia and other cardiopulmonary defects that were allegedly caused by Zoloft side effects.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Zoloft Lawsuit Filed Following Death of Couple’s Child

A couple in Missouri has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Pfizer, alleging that the mother’s use of the antidepressant Zoloft during pregnancy led to their child suffer severe Zoloft birth defects and heart problems that were eventually fatal. According to the complaint, Peska was given Zoloft during her pregnancy, which caused her child to be born with a number of heart defects in October of 2009. By the following day, the baby was dead. A number of other Zoloft side effects birth defect lawsuits filed in recent months raise similar allegations that Pfizer failed to adequately warn about the risk of problems with their medication, and that the drug maker continues to refuse to properly warn pregnant women to avoid the antidepressant.

Zoloft (sertraline) is a second generation antidepressant that is made by Pfizer, which is part of a class of medications known as SSRI antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). Generic Zoloft equivalents are also available from a number of drug makers. According to allegations raised in Zoloft lawsuit settlements over Zoloft, the drug makers failed to adequately research the effect of the medication when used during pregnancy

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Zoloft Birth Defects Lawsuits Growing in Number


One of the most tragic side effects of the SSRI drug Zoloft is the potential for Zoloft birth defects. Birth defects are most likely in women who have taken Zoloft or other SSRI drugs in the first trimester of pregnancy. Previously, the link between Zoloft and similar drugs and Zoloft birth defect lawsuit was thought to be minimal but it has more recently become clear that there are more serious problems associated with the medication than was previously thought.

Zoloft is a commonly-used treatment for depression, general anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, and a number of other conditions. These are relatively common conditions. Zoloft birth defect lawsuit is an SSRI drug, which means it works by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin in the brain, allowing the “feel-good” chemical serotonin to work longer and harder in order to help a patient regulate his or her mood.

Heightened Risk of Bleeding with Zoloft, Aspirin


Zoloft is a brand name drug known fairly well by name across the country. Most people know a friend or family member who is taking Zoloft drug recall lawsuit for depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, general anxiety disorder, or another related condition. Some people may be aware that Zoloft birth defect lawsuit can be significant in helping patients overcome their psychological condition. So why do Zoloft lawsuits keep piling up in the courts?

Many people are familiar with the widely-publicized warnings that Zoloft could increase the chances of suicide or suicidal thoughts in patients. Most of the patients who are affected by Zoloft lawsuit suicide are children, young adults, and teenagers.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Zoloft Heart Defects Commonly Linked to Infants


Studies have suggested that their may be an increased risk of Zoloft birth defects when the drug is used as early as the first trimester of pregnancy, a time when many women do not even know they are pregnant. Zoloft (sertraline) is a second generation antidepressant that is made by Pfizer, which is part of a class of medications known as SSRI antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). Generic Zoloft equivalents are also available from a number of drug makers. According to allegations raised in Zoloft lawsuits, the drug makers failed to adequately research

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Zoloft Lawyers Grapple With Zoloft Birth Defects Lawsuits

The Food and Drug Administration warned Zoloft patients as early as 2005 that they should avoid taking SSRI drugs such as Zoloft during the first trimester—or three months—of pregnancy because of the possibility of heart-related birth defects. Ventricle septal defects and atrial septal defects are the issues most commonly reported with Zoloft lawsuit heart-related birth defects, and occur when holes develop in the heart, which can lead to open-heart surgery and even death. The New England Journal of Medicine’s revelation caused a major upswing of Zoloft birth defect lawsuit from mothers and families whose babies had been born with side effects.


Zoloft is an SSRI drug, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, which is an antidepressant that works by blocking the reuptake of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a chemical that helps a person feel happier and this method can help maintain feelings of happiness and diminish mood swings and anxiety. There are Zoloft drug recall lawsuit because of the severe side effects that it has been associated with, including birth defects and depression.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Zoloft Birth Defects and Lawsuits Closely Linked


A significant number of women who took Zoloft while pregnant, especially during the first trimester of pregnancy, have experienced the trauma and hardship of giving birth to a child with often-serious Zoloft birth defects. Zoloft is one of the most popular anti-depressant medications on the market in many countries today, and is an SSRI, meaning that it works by blocking the reuptake of the feel-good chemical serotonin in the brain, helping patients with conditions like depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and many other conditions manage and regulate their symptoms. However, although Zoloft has benefited many people with some of the most common psychological conditions in the world, it also comes with a wide variety of often serious Zoloft side effects.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Severe Birth Defects Linked To Pfizer’s Antidepressant Zoloft


Zoloft, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant (SSRI), has been named in a lawsuit that claims it caused a baby to be born with a fatal birth defect called anencephaly. Anencephaly is a neural tube defect, “generally described as the absence of a large part of the brain and skull,” according to the Zoloft lawsuit. According to a report from Courthouse News Service, the Zoloft anencephaly lawsuit was filed by Susan and James Hodge of Alaska filed their suit in Ohio’s Cuyahoga Court of Common Pleas. Defendants named in the complaint include Pfizer, the maker of Zoloft, and Cardinal Health. The couple accuses Pfizer of covering up studies that documented this case of anencephaly as linked to Zoloft birth defect.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Cardiac Anomalies Associated With Zoloft


The risk of birth defects from SSRI’s (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) antidepressant, such as the popularly prescribed Zoloft, has been a concern for several years. In 2006, the FDA released a public health advisory that antidepressant side effects could cause serious injury to infants if taken by the mother after the 20th week of pregnancy, including a six-fold increase in the risk of the child suffering from Zoloft PPHN. In 2009, a study found that use of SSRI antidepressants, such as Zoloft, during the first three months of pregnancy could double the risk of septal heart defects in newborns. Persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns (PPHN) may be caused as a side effect of Zoloft, and other SSRI drugs, when taken after the 20th week of pregnancy.  In November 2006,

Thursday, October 13, 2011

No Warning of Zoloft Link To Spina Bifida, Despite Evidence


Zoloft (sertraline) is a second generation antidepressant that is made by Pfizer, which is part of a class of medications known as SSRI antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). Generic Zoloft equivalents are also available from a number of drug makers. Use of the antidepressant during pregnancy has been linked to an increased risk of Zoloft persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns (PPHN), as well as other birth malformations and defects, such as: septal heart defects, hypoplastic left or right heart syndrome, spina bifida, autism and infant death. According to allegations raised in Zoloft lawsuits, the drug makers failed to adequately research the effect of the medication when used during pregnancy

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Zoloft Lawyers Dealing with Off-Label Cases


Zoloft is a popular medication used to treat a myriad of psychological conditions, and has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat depression, anxiety disorders, panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, although some patients are experiencing tragic side effects of Zoloft. In addition, many doctors and patients have found it to be effective in treating other conditions, including generalized anxiety disorder, premature ejaculation, diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia, and migraine headache. However, Zoloft suicide and suicidal ideations has become a controversial claim of some victims. The conditions that Zoloft is used for both according to Food and Drug Administration approval and its off-label

Monday, October 10, 2011

Zoloft Lawsuits Over Birth Defects on the Rise


Women and families are filing suit against antidepressant drug Zoloft in record numbers after it was linked to a series of serious Zoloft birth defects. This SSRI drug is the most popular anti-depressant medication in the world, which can also be used to treat other conditions, including anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, and panic attacks. These are among the most common psychological disorders known, and millions of people worldwide are affected by them. As the number of users of medications like Zoloft continues to rise, so do the instances of serious side effects of Zoloft, of which birth defect is among the most concerning. Although Zoloft carries a warning label advising patients not to use it in the first three months of pregnancy, this was not always the case.
The Food and Drug Administration first released warnings about Zoloft birth defects along with drugmaker Pfizer in September of 2005. The only birth defects mentioned in this specific warning were cardiac birth defects, some of the most serious Zoloft has been linked to. Zoloft heart defects can

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Zoloft Birth Defects Latest in Series of Lawsuits


Zoloft is a popular SSRI anti-depressant that functions by helping the serotonin that is naturally produced by the brain to do its job more effectively. Serotonin is a “feel-good” chemical and helps to balance moods and keep people happy. Zoloft and other SSRI drugs have been approved to treat disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders and panic attacks, and clinical depression.
Shortly after its introduction into the United States’ pharmaceuticals market in 1992, patients began experiencing and reporting Zoloft side effects. One of the most common and most worrisome side effects was an increase in suicidal thoughts and behaviors, especially in children and young adults. In 2004, the Food and Drug Administration mandated that all SSRI drugs have a “black box” warning placed on their packaging to advise patients about the heightened risk of suicide or suicide ideation. There has also been a link to severe birth defects and Zoloft.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Zoloft Lawyers Help Patients


Andrea Roberts may be one of the victims of serious Zoloft side effects – although she can’t testify about it herself. Neither can her husband and two children – Roberts shot them and then herself a week after picking up her Zoloft prescription, which her family says only served to worsen her condition. Zoloft is a medication commonly prescribed to treat psychological disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. It is an SSRI drug, meaning that it works by blocking the reuptake of the feel-good chemical serotonin in the brain. Many people take Zoloft and similar drugs to help manage conditions that would otherwise go untreated. However, a number of patients have had negative experiences with a series of serious side effects associated with the drug. These side effects include birth defects and complications for older people, as well as  suicidal thoughts with the risk of Zoloft suicide.
In 2004 a black box warning was placed on all SSRI drugs warning patients of the possibility of an increased number of suicidal thoughts and actions. However, the warning only addressed the number of teenagers and young adults who had taken the drug and experienced suicidal thoughts or even committed suicide. It said nothing about adults – and that is why Andrea Roberts’ family is filing a Zoloft lawsuit against

Friday, September 30, 2011

Zoloft Side Effects Lead to Legal Action


Many former users of the SSRI drug Zoloft, which is manufactured by drugmaking giant Pfizer, are looking to file a Zoloft lawsuit against the company because of side effects they have experienced as a result of taking the drug. Zoloft, like other popular antidepressants including Celexa and Paxil, is an SSRI drug, meaning a “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor” drug. This means that it works by blocking the reuptake of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a mood-enhancing chemical created naturally by the human body, and in patients with certain conditions – like depression – it is processed improperly. Zoloft and other SSRIs have been approved to treat conditions such as depression, social anxiety, panic attacks, anxiety disorders, post traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorders, among other conditions. The use of SSRIs is relatively widespread, as the conditions which they treat are relatively common.
Many patients, since Zoloft was approved for distribution on the United States’ pharmaceutical market in 1992, have been experiencing severe Zoloft side effects, the most notable being suicidal thoughts and suicide

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Zoloft Lawsuits: Seniors Ponder Options


Many patients across the country who have experienced negative side effects stemming from their use of the popular anti-depressant Zoloft as well as other SSRI drugs, such as Celexa and Prozac, are filing Zoloft lawsuits against drugmakers like Pfizer in order to gain damages that will help cover the medical bills that aren’t paid by their insurance. SSRIs are one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for disorders like obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD, post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD, anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and depression. They work by manipulating the way serotonin functions in the brain, thereby helping to balance a patient’s mood. SSRI stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.
Although it has been clear for a while that SSRI drugs come with a risk of birth defects if used by expecting mothers – as do many prescription medications – there is also another specific group at high risk of Zoloft damage  – senior citizens. A study published in early August in the British Medical Journal looked at 60,745 patients diagnosed with depression between January 1, 1996 and December 31, 2007. These patients were all between the ages of 65 and 100.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Zoloft Birth Defects Lead to Lawsuit Spike


One of the more tragic possible anti-depressant drug, Zoloft side effects are birth defects manifesting in patients’ children. Zoloft, which is the brand name of sertraline, is a SSRI drug, meaning “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors”.  These medications are used to treat psychological disorders including depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety disorders. They are relatively commonly prescribed for these conditions, but are side effects of Zoloft just as common? SSRI drugs regulate his or her emotional impulses and anxieties by moderating levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a chemical that regulates and balances a person’s mood.
Side effects of Zoloft and many other SSRI drugs can be serious, and more concern for patients considering Zoloft and pregnancy. SSRI drugs were linked by a British study to birth defects, especially those related to a baby’s heart. SSRIs including Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, and Prozac have all been linked to these birth defects, and mothers who take more than one of these drugs during the first trimester of their pregnancy were four times more likely to give birth to a baby with birth defects.