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A link between taking the drug Topamax or Topiragen while pregnant with children suffering from cleft palate, cleft lip, spina bifida or limb and facial birth defects has been found and might make some of these families eligible for a lawsuit, revealed a NY Birth Injury Lawyer. She said many of these pregnant women took Topamax to treat either seizure disorders or severe migraines.
The Food and Drug Administration revealed new statistics saying that pregnant women who take the drug have a much higher percentage of children with birth defects including cleft palate, cleft lip, craniofacial defects of the oral cavity than women who don’t take the drug.
NY Birth Injury Lawyers pointed out that these babies most likely face a higher risk as well for spina bifida, genital birth defects, limb malformations, hypospadias, persistent pulmonary hypertension and other genital and congenital birth defects or Klumpkes Palsy. They stated that because of these increased risks, the FDA now put the drug into “Pregnancy Category D,” which means it has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt to cause birth defects.
“The FDA is advising women with migraines or seizure disorders who normally take Topamax, to seriously consider an alternative treatment,” said a NY Birth Injury Lawyer. “There are treatments out there. People just need to educate themselves,” He added.
NY Birth Injury Lawyers also explained that Johnson and Johnson just last year settled and paid more than $80 million for illegally marketing Topamax for psychiatric uses for bipolar disorder, weight loss, alcohol dependency and other conditions that were never approved by the FDA. Attorneys in Brooklyn and Long Island bring these suits very often.
Some have even alleged that physicians were compensated to promote Topamax for conditions other than seizures and migraines, for which it was originally approved.
“It seems these doctors were paid a lot of money to promote Topamax these past years,” said a NY Birth Injury Lawyer. “There are going to be a lot of unhappy parents of these children with severe birth defects that truthfully could have been avoided,” he added.
A representative from Johnson and Johnson could not be reached for comment but Lawyers believe they will settle in most lawsuits involving these children with birth defects due to the use of Topamax.
Have you or a loved one taken Topamax during pregnancy and given birth to a child with oral cleft defects or other birth defects? NY Birth Injury Attorneys can help you file suit and strive for compensation. NY Birth Injury Lawyers understand the law and will do our best to help your family. The Office of Stephen Bilkis and Associates can offer you support and guidance as well as a free consultation when you contact us at 1-800-NY-NY-LAW. We have offices in N York City, including Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island and The Bronx and in Nassau County, Suffolk County and Westchester County.