Published in the New England Journal of Medicine a study suggests a link between pregnancy side effects and the antidepressant medication Prozac. The study links women who take Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors after their 20th week of pregnancy experience a risk of giving birth to a newborn with persistent pulmonary hypertension six times the the risk of women who do not take the drug. With the sixfold increase the risk for persistent pulmonary hypertension also known as persistent fetal circulation the risk jumps to 1%. Infants exposed to Prozac have also faced respiratory issues premature delivery and cyanosis.
Commentary
Persistent fetal circulation is a very serious condition that produces a life-threatening lung condition that affects newborns as soon as they are born. Even with this 1% chance of diagnosis the ramifications of this condition are huge. As a result several lawsuits have been initiated to address this inconsistency with the drug Prozac. Drug manufacturers have a responsibility just like any other product-producing company to design and replicate a drug that is safe for general use. When companies produce a product that harms its consumers liability can fall on the manufacturer for this production. Looking at claims and reading the New England Journal of Medicine this liability could manifest itself in the form of personal injury and wrongful death claims typically filed by the parents. These types of claims require an expert investigation to link a newborns condition with the antidepressant drug but can attempt to compensate a grieving family.
Texas Drug Injury Attorney Michael Grossman
