Mother claims use of antidepressant drug during pregnancy caused birth defects

NEW ORLEANS - A Tangipahoa Parish mom has filed a lawsuit against Pfizer claiming that that the company's antidepressant drug Zoloft caused her 14-year-old child to be born with birth defects.

Claiming that she just discovered the cause of the birth defects, Terry Harold, individually and on behalf of her minor child, filed the lawsuit against Pfizer Inc. on April 16 in federal court in New Orleans.

Harold states that she ingested the antidepressant drug Zoloft during her pregnancy 14 years ago and claims that the medication caused her child to be born with respiratory and heart problems.

The defendant is accused of negligence and wrongful conduct in connection with the design, research, development, testing, inspecting, producing, manufacturing, analyzing, merchandising, packaging, advertising, promoting, labeling, distribution, marketing and the safe of Zoloft.

The lawsuit states that Pfizer knew about the drug's adverse side effects as early as 1991 but failed to adequately warn the consumer public, physicians, and the Food and Drug Administration of the associated birth defects.

Pfizer is accused of construction or composition defect, design defect, inadequate warning, breach of express warranty, and redhibition.

The plaintiff is seeking an award of actual damages, damages for medical monitoring physical, mental and economic loss, pain and suffering, interest, court costs, and attorney's fees.

Harold is represented by Michael Hingle, Bryan A. Pfleeger, and Ronald J. Favre of Michael Hingle & Associates in Slidell. A jury trial is requested.

U.S. District Judge A. J. McNamara is assigned to the case.

Case No. 2:12-cv-00958