New Orleans Zofran Birth Defects Lawyer

The attorneys at The Olinde Firm are currently investigating Zofran lawsuits on behalf of families whose children were born with serious birth defects, including cleft palates and heart defects, such as atrial septal defect (ASD) and ventricular septal defect (VSD).

Ondansetron is a common anti-nausea and anti-vomiting drug marketed under the brand name Zofran by drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Zofran in 1991 to treat nausea in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

The FDA has not approved Zofran for the treatment of morning sickness during pregnancy. However, Zofran is commonly prescribed to treat nausea during pregnancy, which may carry serious risks of increasing the possibility of birth defects in children. Recent studies have linked use of Zofran during the first trimester of pregnancy with a significant increase in the likelihood of a child being born with certain defects.

Although Zofran has never been approved to treat morning sickness, it is commonly prescribed as an anti-nausea medication during pregnancy. The US Department of Justice accused GlaxoSmithKline of illegally marketing and promoting Zofran to doctors and patients for use to treat morning sickness during pregnancy. GSK eventually resolved those charges as part of a $3 billion settlement with the Department of Justice in 2012.