The families allege that the mothers' ingestion of Paxil during their pregnancies resulted in their children being born with severe heart defects. They are seeking unspecified damages against GSK for failing to warn about the risks associated with Paxil for pregnant women and their unborn children.
On Wednesday, November 29, 2006, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist ("ACOG"), a group that represents America's obstetricians, validated the parents claims by recommending that women who are pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant avoid the antidepressant Paxil.
According to Karen Barth Menzies, a partner with Baum Hedlund's Los Angeles office, who represents the families "Women taking Paxil or other antidepressants are unknowingly subjecting their unborn babies to life-threatening risks that could kill their baby or potentially require their infant to undergo dangerous surgeries and the need for life-long medical treatment. If women knew how real this risk is, they would not chance it - most would do anything within their power to protect their child. This decision is within their control and they should be fully informed so they can make it themselves, not the drug companies or ill-informed doctors."
Of the five cases filed today, three are wrongful death cases and two are personal injury cases:
- Hannah Grace Mobley was born on October 17, 2002, in Dunbar, West Virginia: She had four surgeries for a complex condition called Tetralogy of Fallot, which involves several associated congenital heart defects. Hannah died at 15 months. Her parents are Joshua and Chasity Mobley. See [FACT SHEET] for details.
- Taylor Danielle Mobley was also born on October 17, 2002, in Dunbar, West Virginia: (Hannah's identical twin) age 4, was born with a life-threatening congenital heart defect, Ventricular Septal Defect ("VSD") (Septal defects are sometimes called a "hole" in the heart. A defect between the heart's two lower chambers (the ventricles) is called a ventricular septal defect [VSD]). Her VSD subsequently closed up without the necessity of surgery. In addition to Hannah and Taylor, her parents have two older children who were born without defects when Chasity was not on Paxil. See attached photo of the twins and [FACT SHEET] for details.
- Kenndyl Gueldenzoph was born on September 26, 2004, in Toledo, Ohio: She was born with a congenital heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a condition where the left side of the heart - including the aorta, aortic valve, left ventricle and mitral valve - is underdeveloped. After several surgeries attempting to save her life, Kenndyl died when she was 17 days old. Her parents are Roy and Kimberly Gueldenzoph of Lambertville, Michigan. They have one older child who was born without defects when Kimberly was not on Paxil. See [FACT SHEET] for details.
- Keagan Hargitt was born on January 14, 2002, in Omaha, Nebraska: He was also born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. In the 24 days of his life he underwent four surgeries. His parents are Barbara A. Hargitt of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Trever Hargitt. They have three other children (two born before Keagan and one after Keagan was born) without defects when Barbara was not on Paxil. See [FACT SHEET] for details.
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- Mark Fromm, was born on February 2, 2005, in Westerville, OH. He was born with a Tricuspid Atresia (a condition where there is no tricuspid valve and the right ventricle is usually small. There is a reduced flow of blood to the lungs), Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) and pulmonary stenosis - all life-threatening congenital heart defects. He has already endured two life-threatening surgeries. First, when Mark was just seven weeks old, a shunt was placed in his heart. This procedure was followed by a bidirectional Glenn procedure when Mark was nine months old. This procedure in an open heart surgery that is used to prepare the heart for the Fontan procedure, which Mark is scheduled to have next year. His parents are Jon and Gina Fromm of Baltimore, Ohio. They have no other children. See attached photo and [FACT SHEET] for details.
Baum Hedlund is a national pharmaceutical products liability law firm in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. Baum Hedlund has been handling SSRI antidepressant litigation since 1990, longer than any other plaintiffs firm. [See Fact Sheet for more information about Baum Hedlund.]
