Pfizer Looks to Consolidate Zoloft Birth Defect Lawsuits
Date Published: Wednesday, February 8th, 2012
Pfizer has filed a motion to consolidate all federal Zoloft birth defect lawsuits before one judge for pretrial litigation as part of a MDL.
The move came in January as the number of plaintiffs throughout the country who have filed a Zoloft lawsuit against Pfizer continues to grow. All of the lawsuits involve similar allegations that use of the antidepressant during pregnancy resulted in children to be born with severe birth defects and serious malformations.
Pfizer said in its request that there are currently at least 59 lawsuits over Zoloft, which involve common claims and questions of fact. Pfizer requested that the Zoloft litigation be consolidated to prevent conflicting pretrial rulings, reduce duplicative discovery and to serve the convenience of the parties, the witnesses and the federal court system.
Pfizer has proposed that the federal Zoloft cases be centralized in New York, because it is near the drug maker’s headquarters, which would provide easy access to the company’s records and important witnesses.
The majority of the complaints over Zoloft are currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where at least 48 of lawsuits are pending.
Pfizer could be facing a major payout and recently released research favors the plaintiffs. Medical research and adverse event reports have suggested that use of Zoloft during pregnancy can increase the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening health problems for babies.
Studies have also suggested that Zoloft may increase the risk of birth defects when used as early as the first trimester of pregnancy, a time when many women do not even know they are pregnant.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 at 9:29 pm and is filed under Uncategorized.
Pfizer Looks to Consolidate Zoloft Birth Defect Lawsuits
Date Published: Wednesday, February 8th, 2012
Pfizer has filed a motion to consolidate all federal Zoloft birth defect lawsuits before one judge for pretrial litigation as part of a MDL.
The move came in January as the number of plaintiffs throughout the country who have filed a Zoloft lawsuit against Pfizer continues to grow. All of the lawsuits involve similar allegations that use of the antidepressant during pregnancy resulted in children to be born with severe birth defects and serious malformations.
Pfizer said in its request that there are currently at least 59 lawsuits over Zoloft, which involve common claims and questions of fact. Pfizer requested that the Zoloft litigation be consolidated to prevent conflicting pretrial rulings, reduce duplicative discovery and to serve the convenience of the parties, the witnesses and the federal court system.
Pfizer has proposed that the federal Zoloft cases be centralized in New York, because it is near the drug maker’s headquarters, which would provide easy access to the company’s records and important witnesses.
The majority of the complaints over Zoloft are currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where at least 48 of lawsuits are pending.
Pfizer could be facing a major payout and recently released research favors the plaintiffs. Medical research and adverse event reports have suggested that use of Zoloft during pregnancy can increase the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening health problems for babies.
Studies have also suggested that Zoloft may increase the risk of birth defects when used as early as the first trimester of pregnancy, a time when many women do not even know they are pregnant.
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