Zofran is an anti-nausea drug that was approved by the FDA to treat patients recovering from surgery that experience severe nausea as well as patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer. It was also used as an off-label prescription for treating morning sickness in pregnant women. Off-label prescriptions are when a doctor prescribes a patient a drug to treat something other than what that drug has been approved for by the FDA. Doctors are permitted to write off-label prescriptions, but drug companies are forbidden to use sales people and marketing tactics to get doctors to prescribe their prescription drugs for any treatment other than what the drug was approved for by the FDA. Zofran use during pregnancy has now been linked to a number of birth defects.
Zofran is made by GlaxoSmithKline, one of the largest multi-national billion-dollar Big Pharma companies, agreed to plead guilty to 3 criminal counts involving its pharmaceutical trade practices and settle a number of civil charges, including charges against Zofran, in 2012. As part of the guilty plea, GlaxoSmithKline agreed to pay $1 billion in criminal fines and $2 billion in civil fines, which included fines for payments of kickbacks paid to healthcare professionals while trying to convince doctors to prescribe Zofran to pregnant women for morning sickness.
In a statement from the Department of Justice announcing the guilty plea agreement by Glaxo Smith Kline, the FDA Deputy Commissioner for Global Regulatory Operations and Policy stated “The FDA Office of Criminal Investigation will aggressively pursue pharmaceutical companies that choose to put profits before the public’s health.” The Department of Justice characterized the charges and settlement with GlaxoSmithKline as “unprecedented in both size and scope.”
Families with a child born with birth defects after the mother used Zofran during the pregnancy may be entitled to real compensation through a Zofran birth defects lawsuit. Our attorneys provide free Zofran claim reviews, and will be happy to answer your questions and help you to understand your legal options. All Zofran birth defects lawsuit services are provided on a contingency basis, meaning there are no legal fees unless we win compensation on your behalf.
Filing a lawsuit is the best means for individual consumers to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for harmful products. By placing profit motives ahead of consumer safety, the makers of Zofran have caused undue harm and loss to far too many families while lining their own pockets. Negligent and unscrupulous pharmaceutical companies can and should be held accountable for their actions, and injured consumers have a right to seek justice. Filing a Zofran lawsuit enables consumers to hold the companies accountable for the safety of their products.
OnderLaw has a national reputation for its work in family and consumer safety based on an ethic of hard work, reliable advice, and achieving results on behalf of our clients. We will work tirelessly to ensure each of our clients has trustworthy and excellent legal representation. Contact our attorneys to ensure you have an experienced advocate fighting on behalf of your family.
To speak with a lawyer handling Zofran birth defects cases, contact our firm today. For more information, please visit our Zofran Birth Defects Lawsuit website.
