Parents who had a child born with Aciphex birth defects may be able to recover damages to help pay for medical expenses in an Aciphex lawsuit. Aciphex (rabeprazole) belongs to a group of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), and has previously been considered generally safe for pregnant mothers. However, recent reports and studies indicate a potential link between the acid-reducing drug and Aciphex birth defects, including Aciphex heart defects.
Factors to Consider for an Aciphex Lawsuit
Parents considering an Aciphex lawsuit may want to gather all medical records related to the pregnancy and the mother’s ingestion of Aciphex. Pharmaceutical receipts, copies of the prescriptions, and other similar records that help prove the mother took Aciphex during pregnancy, will be helpful in an Aciphex lawsuit that strives to prove that manufacturer Eisai Inc. and Janssen Pharmaceuticals were liable for the child’s Aciphex birth defects.
Evidence Supporting Potential Aciphex Birth Defects
The FDA has classified Aciphex as a Category B medication, which means that animal and human studies have been inconclusive as to the potential harm the drug may pose to a fetus. Early scientific studies have shown a potential connection between PPI drugs like Aciphex and Aciphex birth defects, particularly Aciphex heart defects.
PPI drugs, like Aciphex, may be prescribed to pregnant women to help them cope with acid reflux or frequent heartburn during pregnancy. They are also used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), stomach and small intestine ulcers, and inflammation of the esophagus.
Two 2010 studies cast doubt on the safety of these drugs when used during pregnancy. One study, published in Gastroenterology, found that mothers taking PPI drugs like Aciphex during the first trimester experience double the risk of newborn Aciphex heart defects. Another study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, found that mothers who took PPI drugs like Aciphex in the four weeks preceding conception had a 39 percent greater risk of having a child with Aciphex birth defects. Mothers like these may be eligible to recover damages in an Aciphex lawsuit.
Evidence Supporting Potential Aciphex Heart Defects
The Aciphex heart defects that were most common in these studies were septal heart defects, in which the baby is born with a hole in the wall that separates the chambers of the heart. Such a defect causes the blood to circulate improperly, so the heart has to work harder, and pressure may increase in the lungs, making it more difficult for the newborn to breathe. These Aciphex heart defects typically require surgery to close the defect or plug the hole.
An Aciphex Birth Defects Lawyer May be Able to Help
Parents who have a child with Aciphex birth defects or Aciphex heart defects may be eligible for an Aciphex lawsuit. If you or a loved one has been injured by Aciphex or have had a child with Aciphex birth defects, contact Chaffin Luhana LLP today for a confidential case evaluation at 1-888-480-1123.
