Research indicates that the risk of birth defects increases for babies whose mothers took certain antidepressants, such as Effexor, during pregnancy.
About Effexor
Effexor (generic: venlafaxine) belongs to the selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) drug class of antidepressants. Manufactured by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc., Effexor was approved by the FDA in 1993 to treat major depression. SNRIs are similar to a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are anti-depressants that have been linked by the New England Journal of Medicine and the British Medical Journal to congenital defects including:
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN)
- Serious Heart Defects
- Anencephaly (fatal neural tube defect)
- Clubfoot
- Craniosynostosis (craniofacial defect)
- Omphalocele (abdominal wall defect)
- Gastroschisis (abdominal wall defect)
- Pulmonary Atresia
- Spina Bifida (neural tube defect)
- Diaphragmatic Hernia
- Esophageal Atresia (narrowing of the esophagus)
Your Baby’s Rights
If your baby was born with a congenital heart defect that may have been caused by exposure to Effexor or another anti-depressant before birth, your family deserves financial compensation. Although no amount of money can change what happened to your baby, compensation will help offset the current and future medical costs, as well as provide for the pain and suffering you and your baby have experienced.
Filing a claim will also teach the manufacturers of unsafe medications that it is unacceptable to not warn parents of the risks associated with these drugs, including serious birth defects. Your suit may even prevent other families from suffering as yours has, by forcing the pharmaceutical company to change their drug’s label to warn parents of the potential risks.
Contact Us
You may be eligible for compensation to ease the financial burdens associated with your baby’s injury. Contact us today to set up a free consultation, during which we will listen to your story, answer any questions you may have and discuss your legal rights and options. If you choose us to represent you, we will work with you on a contingency fee basis; this means you pay nothing until we have secured compensation for you, either through a jury verdict or settlement.
