Serious Alleged Injuries May Include:
- Psychiatric Problems
- Abnormal Blood Pressure
- Physical Deformities
- Stomach Problems
- Hearing Loss
- Cleft Lip, Cleft Palate, Clubfoot, Webbed Toes
- Vision Problems
- Skull Deformities
- Heart Defects
FDA Safety Warnings:
Since the drug's introduction, the FDA has issued safety alerts regarding unreported side effects of Zoloft, which was seen to cause certain unexpected injuries to the babies born when their mothers had consumed this drug during pregnancy.
In 2011, the FDA reported a Safety warning regarding the use of SSRI in pregnancy and rare heart and lung condition in newborn babies.
General Warnings
You should not use Zoloft if you are taking pimozide, or if you are being treated with methylene blue injection. If you have used an MAO inhibitor for the last 14 days, such as isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, or tranylcypromine, do not use this drug. Some teens have suicidal thoughts when they first start taking an anti-depressant. Report if anything extreme happens to your medical expert.
Before taking this medicine: You should not use Zoloft if you are in conflict with sertraline, or if you are taking pimozide. Do not use the Zoloft in a liquid state if you are taking disulfiram (Antabuse) or you may have a chemical reaction to disulfiram.
After taking the MAO inhibitor do not take this drug within 14 days before and after. Dangerous drug interactions are possible.
To make sure Zoloft is safe for you, tell your medical expert if you have ever had the following symptoms:
- heart disease, high blood pressure, or stroke;
- liver or kidney disease;
- vibration;
- bleeding problems, or if you are taking warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven);
- bipolar disorder; or
- low sodium levels in your blood.
Some drugs can interact with sertraline and cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome. Make sure your doctor knows if you are taking antidepressants, opioids, herbal products, other antiretrovirals, or psychiatric drugs, Parkinson's disease, migraine headaches, serious illnesses, or prevention of nausea and vomiting.
Some teens have suicidal thoughts when they first start taking an anti-depressant. A medical expert must check your growth on a regular visit.
Serious lung problems or other problems may erupt if SSRI antidepressant is taken during pregnancy. However, you may return to depression if you stop taking your antidepressant. Tell your doctor immediately if you become pregnant. Do not make any changes in taking Zoloft during pregnancy without your medical expert's advice.
Do not give Zoloft to anyone under the age of 18 without a doctor's advice. Zoloft is officially accepted by FDA for children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It is not allowed to treat depression in children.
How should I take Zoloft?
Take Zoloft as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your doctor's label. Your doctor may change your dose by seeing the condition of the person.
Zoloft can be taken with or without food. Make sure you are taking the medicine at the same time each day.
Zoloft's liquid (oral concentration) form must be diluted before taking it. To make sure you are getting the right dose, measure the liquid with a given drop of medicine. Mix the dose with 4 ounces (one-half cup) of water, ginger ale, lemon/lime soda, lemon, or orange juice. Do not use any other liquid to reduce the medication. Mix the mixture and drink it all quickly. To make sure you get the full dose, add more water to the same glass, rotate gently, and drink immediately.
Zoloft may cause you to have a false drug test. If you are providing a urine sample for a drug test, tell the boot staff that you are taking Zoloft.
It can take up to four weeks before your condition gets better. Continue to take the medicine as prescribed and tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve.
Do not stop using Zoloft abruptly, or you may experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor how you can safely stop taking this drug.
What happens if I miss a dose?
As soon as you remember take the missed dose. Skip the missed dose when it is time for your next scheduled dose. Even if you have missed the dose do not take an extra dose for the missed one.
What to avoid ?
Do not drink alcohol.
Ask your medical expert before consuming any drugs that cause blood clots, such as warfarin, other anticoagulants, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for pain, arthritis, fever, or inflammation. These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), celecoxib (Celebrex), diclofenac, indomethacin, meloxicam, and others. Using any of these medications with Zoloft can cause you to be injured or bleed easily.
Zoloft may interfere with your thinking or reaction.
Legal Updates:
Defendants: Pfizer Inc.
Defendant Law Firm: Mark S. Cheffo, Esq. Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP
Allegations: Allegations include that Zoloft manufacturers failed to warn about the side effects ranging from less severe symptoms, like stomach cramps and drowsiness, to life-threatening problems such as suicidal thoughts and heart problems. Also, other allegations include injuries in children whose mother took the drug while pregnant.
Plaintiff Steering Committee:
Joseph J. Zonies, Esq. Reilly Pozner LLP
Sean Patrick Tracey, Esq. Tracey Law Firm
Kimberly D. Barone Baden, Esq. Motley Rice LLC
Andy D. Birchfield, Jr., Esq. Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.
Edward F. Blizzard, Esq. Blizzard, McCarthy & Nabers
Edward Braniff, Esq. Weitz & Luxemberg
Thomas P. Cartmell, Esq. Wagstaff & Cartmell
Christopher L. Coffin, Esq. Pendley, Baudin & Coffin, L.L.P.
Jayne Conroy, Esq. Hanly Conroy Bierstein Sheridan Fisher & Hayes LLP
Arnold Levin, Esq. Levin, Fishbein, Sedran & Berman
David F. Miceli, Esq. Simmons Browder Gianaris Angelides and Barnerd, LLC
Stephanie O'Connor, Esq. Douglas & London, P.C.
Christopher A. Seeger, Esq. Seeger Weiss LLP
Lawsuit Status: All the cases in MDL are dismissed
Important Verdicts & Settlements:
April 17, 2012: The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated lawsuits alleging birth defects. The cases were presided by Judge Cynthia M. Rufe consolidated in MDL No. 2342 (In Re: Zoloft Sertraline Hydrochloride). There were more than 700 federal cases listed in the MDL.
January 2013: A class-action lawsuit was filed in the federal court in California with similar allegations. However, the lawsuit was dismissed in 2014.
November 2017: The federal MDL cases were dismissed or withdrawn on account of the failure of adequate evidence.
Evidence:
- Duration Of Zoloft Usage In Pregnant Females From Medical Records
- Usage Of Zoloft And Other Antidepressants In Pharmacy Records
- Diagnosis And Treatment Of Birth Anomalies After Zoloft Intake
- Treatment Required For The Birth Related Defects In Affected Child
Medical Record Review and claim validation of Zoloft case should take approximately 3 hours in most instances; however, this approximation may vary in cases based on the volume of records.
