Depakote Pharmaceutical Claims
If you or a family member were prescribed Depakote and have experienced negative side-effects, seek medical attention immediately. The FDA released warnings of adverse effects this drug will cause. Let our legal team provide a no-cost evaluation of your case and help you navigate the pharmaceutical claim process to get the compensation you deserve.
Depakote Pregnancy Research and Warnings
A black-box warning is the most serious warning on a drug label; issued when the agency has determined that a drug’s side effects have the potential to cause serious injuries or death. In 2006, the FDA issued a black-box warning on every Depakote prescription warning of potential birth defects. The warning followed a study published in a 2006 issue of Neurology reporting the incidence of birth defects in 20 percent of women who gave birth while taking Depakote.
FDA Safety Warning
The FDA has released warnings regarding the link between Depakote and birth defects, which include:
- Spina bifida and other neural tube defects
- Malformations of the face or head
- Malformation of the cardiovascular system
- Brain defects
Symptoms and Side-Effects
Depakote is a prescription drug developed to treat epileptic seizures and episodes of mania for those with bipolar disorder. Recently, Depakote has been prescribed for less serious conditions, such as migraine headaches. Disturbingly, children of women who take this drug during pregnancy may suffer from devastating birth defects. If proper warnings had been provided about the dangers of Depakote, women planning to become pregnant or those not practicing birth control, could have taken an alternative medication, one with less risks, during pregnancy.
In 2009, based on data from the North American Antiepileptic Drug (NAAED) Pregnancy Registry, the FDA required Abbott Laboratories, the manufacturer of Depakote, to strengthen the warning label, to ensure that women of childbearing age are aware of the risk of major birth defects. These major birth defects specifically included neural tube defects, heart defects, and craniofacial birth defects.
In a 2010 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers reported an increased risk of several birth defects when Depakote was ingested during the first trimester of pregnancy. In particular, the risk for Spina Bifida increased 12 times.
Additionally, the FDA released a safety alert in May 2013 that Depakote (and valproate sodium, valproic acid, and divalproex sodium) should not be prescribed to pregnant women to treat migraine headaches. This safety alert was based on a new study that revealed that it can result in lower IQ scores in children born to women who took the drug while pregnant.
Accepting Depakote Pharmaceutical Claim
Our law firm is currently accepting legal claims for children with birth defects, malformations, and/or developmental delays who were exposed to Depakote in utero. Children born with certain birth defects, including neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, have a lifetime of future medical expenses. We may be able to recover compensation through a Depakote lawsuit – compensation for past and future medical expenses.
We are reviewing individual claims for children born with the following birth defects:
- Spina Bifida
- Skull and brain malformations
- Arm and leg deformities
- Missing or extra toes and fingers
- Cleft lip and palate
- Club foot
- Hydrocephaly
- Heart defects
- Aortic stenosis
- Tetrology of fallot
- Ventricular septal defect (VSD)
- Atrial septal defect (ASD)
- ASD
- Facial deformity
- Craniostenosis
- Hydrancephaly
- Anencephaly
- Scoliosis
- Impaired cognitive development
News
Injured?
If you or a loved one have been injured by this product, please contact us at (877) 512-3621. An attorney with Morgan Adams Law, PLLC will call you within 24 hours. Let our firm help you through the difficult claim process to ensure you or your loved one receives the compensation rightfully due.