Paxil Birth Defect Lawsuit Filed

Parkersburg, WVGlaxoSmithKline faces another Paxil birth defect lawsuit alleging the company's antidepressant caused one boy's serious birth defects. This is just the latest lawsuit GlaxoSmithKline faces that claims the company knew about the risk of serious side effects but did not warn patients.

According to the West Virginia Record, the lawsuit alleges the young boy, named Cameron, was born with developmental delays, heart murmurs, right ventricular hypertrophy and patent foramen ovale. Cameron's mother, Paula McGee, took Paxil during pregnancy after she became depressed.

The plaintiffs allege that GlaxoSmithKline knew that Paxil was associated with an increased risk of birth defects and also knew that Paxil caused an increase in serotonin levels, which cause problems in prenatal cardiac development. They claim that Paxil's makers are negligent in not properly warning consumers about those increased risks and in marketing Paxil as a safe drug to take while pregnant.

The lawsuit seeks damages for injury, past and future medical bills, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. Like so many other families who have also had children born with birth defects, the plaintiffs say that the risks of Paxil greatly outweighed the benefits and they should have been adequately warned about those risks.

This is not the only lawsuit GlaxoSmithKline faces alleging Paxil causes birth defects in infants. In fact, the company faces numerous lawsuits from families whose children were born with serious birth defects—and some families whose children did not survive. GlaxoSmithKline even faces international lawsuits—a pending class action lawsuit has been filed in Canada on behalf of families whose babies were born with congenital birth defects after they were exposed to Paxil.

One woman who wrote to LawyersandSettlements says her son was born via emergency cesarean section because he had heart decelerations. He was born with a hole in his heart, which has since closed up, and suffered from low oxygen levels. Although many of his physical difficulties have healed, her son, who is now in grade two, has severe learning disabilities. The mom says that she took Paxil throughout her pregnancy.

Another woman reports that her son was born with truncus arteriosus, a heart malformation in which only one artery arises from the heart, forming the aorta and pulmonary artery. Truncus arteriosus usually requires surgery early in life to repair the defect and children who were born with the malformation require lifelong medical follow-up. The woman says that her son will require multiple heart surgeries as he grows and cannot attend regular school because of the risk of a deadly infection.

Families are now investigating possible lawsuits against GlaxoSmithKline, alleging their children were harmed by exposure to Paxil prior to birth. If your child was born with serious birth defects and you used Paxil while you were pregnant, you may be eligible to join a lawsuit. Contact a lawyer to discuss your legal options.