Zofran Lawsuit Centralization to be Addressed at October Hearing, Bernstein Liebhard LLP Reports

August 24, 2015 - The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) will address the proposed centralization of all federally-filed Zofran lawsuits (http://www.zofranlawsuit2015.com/) involving the drug's alleged association with birth defects when it convenes its next Hearing Session on October 1st in New York City. According to an Order issued by the Panel on August 14th, the session will commence at 9:30 A.M. at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse. (In Re Zofran Products Liability Litigation – MDL 2657)

"Our Firm has heard from numerous families who are concerned that Zofran caused their child's birth defects. The type of centralization that has been proposed for these claims could well be warranted, considering the growth of the federal Zofran litigation over the past several months," says Sandy A. Liebhard, a partner at Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing victims of defective drugs and medical devices. The Firm is currently reviewing claims on behalf of families whose children were born with serious birth defects that may be related to pre-natal Zofran exposure.

Zofran and Birth Defects
Zofran is an anti-nausea medication that is currently approved to ease nausea and vomiting in surgery patients or those undergoing certain cancer treatments. While it is not indicated to treat nausea and vomiting related to pregnancy, Zofran lawsuit plaintiffs claim that GlaxoSmithKline has aggressively and improperly promoted the drug for this off-label purpose. Plaintiffs also accuse the company of concealing information tying Zofran to birth defects, and assert that since 1992, Glaxo has received more than 200 reports of abnormalities occurring in children who were exposed to the medication during early pregnancy.

Zofran lawsuits also cite a number of recent studies which suggest the use of Zofran during the first trimester of pregnancy increases the likelihood that a baby will be born with oral clefts, heart birth defects, and other congenital abnormalities. The lawsuits also point out that GlaxoSmithKline agreed to pay $3 billion in a 2012 drug marketing settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Among other things, federal prosecutors had accused the company of improperly promoting Zofran as a treatment for morning sickness.

Court documents indicate that more than 30 Zofran birth defects cases are currently pending in federal courts around the U.S. GlaxoSmithKline proposed centralization of the claims in a Motion filed with the JPML on July 6th, and has suggested that the docket be transferred to the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania. While plaintiffs have voiced support for the establishment of a multidistrict litigation, they contend that several other U.S. District Courts would be more appropriate venues for the proceeding.

Children who allegedly suffered serious birth defects due to their mother's use of Zofran during the first trimester of pregnancy may be entitled to compensation from GlaxoSmithKline. To find out more about available legal options, please visit Bernstein Liebhard LLP's website, or call the Firm directly at 800-511-5092.

About Bernstein Liebhard LLP
Bernstein Liebhard LLP is a New York-based law firm exclusively representing injured persons in complex individual and class action lawsuits nationwide since 1993. As a national law firm, Bernstein Liebhard LLP possesses all of the legal and financial resources required to successfully challenge billion dollar pharmaceutical and medical device companies. As a result, our attorneys and legal staff have been able to recover more than $3.5 billion on behalf of our clients. The Firm was named by The National Law Journal to the Plaintiffs' Hot List, recognizing the top plaintiffs firms in the country, for 12 consecutive years. Bernstein Liebhard LLP is the only firm in the country to be named to this prestigious list for a dozen consecutive years.

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Contact Information:
Sandy A. Liebhard, Esq.
Bernstein Liebhard LLP
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