Category Archives: Birth Defects
Government Recovers $3 Billion Paxil, Avandia Settlement for Illegal Promotion, Failure to Report
British drug maker GlaxoSmithKline agreed to plead guilty and to pay $3 billion in fines over its handling of some of the company’s blockbuster medications. According to The New York Times, the drug maker plead guilty to criminal charges involving the illegal promotion of popular antidepressants including Paxil and a … read more
First Zoloft Birth Defect Trial Set for November 2014
The first trial in the multidistrict litigation (MDL) established for all Zoloft birth defect lawsuits filed in federal courts is set to go before a jury in November 2014. At this time more than 420 personal injury lawsuits against Pfizer have been consolidated in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania before … read more
Study Links Use of Antidepressants during Pregnancy to Bleeding Risk
According to a newly published study, women who use antidepressant medications late in their pregnancies may be at a higher risk for bleeding problems. The study suggests that this risk may be greatest for women who use Effexor. The study, published last week in the British Medical Journal, was conducted … read more
Study Suggests a Link between Birth Defects and Childhood Cancer
Results from a new study suggest babies born with birth defects may also have an increased risk of developing certain cancers. Study authors looked at some three million births that occurred in the state of Texas over the course of a ten-year period. About 4 percent (about 116,000 babies) were … read more
Pulse Oximetry Helps Detect Heart Birth Defects
An English study of almost 230,000 newborns indicates that screening them for heart problems detected 76.5 percent of heart defects in babies. The study was published May 1, 2012, in The Lancet. Dr. Shakila Thangaratinam compiled data from 13 studies to determine if it makes sense to screen newborns for … read more
‘Toxic Three’ Found in California Nail Polishes
Some nail polishes in California nail salons, which advertise they are free from toxic chemicals, actually contain high levels of contaminants connected to birth defects. Called the “toxic trio,” the chemicals are toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and formaldehyde. According to a report by the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), … read more
Zoloft, SSRIs Prescribed Despite Birth Defect Risk
Zoloft® continues to be one of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants in the world, despite evidence that it can harm an unborn fetus if taken during pregnancy. Zoloft® belongs to a class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which affect the neurotransmitters in the brain. Other popular … read more
Bad Smell Leads to Topamax Recall
Fifty-seven thousand bottles of Topamax® anti-seizure medication have been recalled by Johnson & Johnson (J&J) because of consumer reports of a foul odor. Four customers reported the odor, which was traced to small amounts of TBA (2,4,6 tribromoanisole), the chemical derivative of a substance for preserving the wood of pallets … read more
Topamax® Increases a Risk of Cleft Lip, Says FDA
Topamax®, an antiepileptic medication, may cause birth defects, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The drug is prescribed to treat certain types of seizures in epilepsy patients and to prevent migraines. It is not used to treat migraines once they have begun, however. After reviewing data gathered … read more
