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Home Page >> News Articles >> Lexapro Lawsuit Granted Class-Action Status

Lexapro Lawsuit Granted Class-Action Status

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Boston, MAA Lexapro lawsuit arguing Forest Pharmaceuticals misled patients about the risk of Lexapro side effects and Celexa side effects has been granted class-action status. The lawsuit alleges that Forest Pharmaceuticals Inc, maker of Lexapro and Celexa, covered up findings suggesting the antidepressants were not effective in children. Meanwhile, a lawsuit has been filed against Forest Pharmaceuticals alleging Lexapro caused fatal birth defects in a baby who died two weeks after her birth.

According to Law360 (1/13/14), the class-action decision was handed down by a Massachusetts federal judge in the lawsuit filed by Missouri parents (case number 1:09-md-02067, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts) even though similar allegations made in lawsuits in New York and Illinois were rejected. The judge determined, however, the plaintiffs’ allegations - that they were misled into giving their children Lexapro and Celexa even though the drugs were not approved for use in children - could go ahead under Missouri’s Merchandising Practices Act.

All three sets of lawsuits - from Missouri, New York and Illinois - have been consolidated for multidistrict litigation in Massachusetts federal court. The lawsuits all allege Forest Pharmaceuticals marketed the drugs as safe for children even though they were not approved for pediatric use.

Although it is not illegal for drugs to be prescribed off-label - for uses they are not approved for - it is illegal for drug companies to market medications for off-label uses. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit argue that by not giving parents full information about Lexapro and Celexa - specifically that a clinical trial found the drugs to be no more effective than a placebo in children - Forest Pharmaceuticals denied parents the opportunity to make an informed decision.

While that lawsuit works its way through the system, a lawsuit alleging a baby died of birth defects caused by Lexapro has been filed against Forest Pharmaceuticals. The lawsuit (case number 14-cv-00114 in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey) was filed by Chandra Shuck and claims her daughter, M.M.S., died two weeks after she was born due to birth defects caused by Lexapro, which the baby’s mother took while pregnant.

READ MORE LEXAPRO BIRTH DEFECT LEGAL NEWS

More LEXAPRO BIRTH DEFECT News
According to the lawsuit, baby M.M.S. was diagnosed at birth with life-threatening heart defects, including “an atrial septal defect, a ventricular septal defect, a patent ductus arteriosus, a patent foramen ovale, a coarctation of the aorta, a right ventricular outflow tract obstruction defects, a left ventricular outflow tract obstruction defects and pulmonary hypertension.”

In all, baby M.M.S. had four open-heart surgeries to treat her conditions in her two weeks of life.

The lawsuit alleges that the defendants knew about the risk of cardiac and other birth defects in infants who were exposed to the medications prior to birth, but still marketed the drug for use in pregnant women. Furthermore, the lawsuit claims that because the defendants continued to misrepresent the risks associated with Lexapro, it took the plaintiff longer to discover that Lexapro may have caused her daughter’s serious heart condition.

Among the claims against Forest Pharmaceuticals are wrongful death, defective design and failure to warn.

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READER COMMENTS

Posted by

on
my son was put on lexipro after he met with a physcaristic--he went to see a doctor and he prescribed lexipro with no warnings of any kind--he quit taking the drug because he was having mood swings and could not focus on reality--after he went off lexipro he hung himself in his home--this happened over 10 years ago he was 23 at the time of his death
Posted by

on
I really need help. I need people to stand up about this and the bizarre behaviors, hallucinations, violent behaviors that Lexapro has caised them and there family. My teen became very violent towards me with several battery charges after being placed on this med. When I brought it to psychs attention she said this was not a side effect. Now Ive a case against me for trying to protect my 4 year old son as one night my teen flipped out was trying to attack my 4 year old and tried bitting him. Im tired. Im so tired.
Posted by

on
My Husband took Lexapro for just over two months, dx of depression from a move away from family and friends for a promotion at his job. Was going to a therapist and had increased the dose. He went to work left to grab something to eat and never returned to work. He committed suicide after purchasing breakfast found in his jeep never touched. He had be fine two hours before. This was a happy guy loved his family kids and grandchildren. Someone please help me find answers I have read so many accounts of adults taking this medication and committing suicide.
Posted by

on
My 19 year old son took escitalopram / generic Lexapro for about three months. He had a psychosis, delusional episode when the dosage was raised to 20 mg.
Very violent, frightening behavior. He was hospitalized for over a week and then sent to jail for his actions (that he has no memory of) while in the mental breakdown.
Very dangerous drug.
Posted by

on
I went to a local doctor twice in three months, for minor issues. The second time he didn't even address the cause for visit but said I had been there twice in three months and must be depressed! He gave me a packet of lexapro. I told him I was not depressed and he said yes but you told me your work is stressful. My work was stressful. It was! I'm an attorney. He told me it was harmless, left the bloodstream right away... Threw the pills in a drawer and heard from a few others in my field that lexapro was good for their stress. I took it and then decided I didn't need it but could not get off. I tried the weaning several times but each time would experience such deep black thoughts it was terrifying. Finally after read that others experienced this I decided I could tough it out and get through it. It took MONTHS of hell, deep depression, horrific nightmares, followed by these brain zaps that felt like a seizure, one new symptom after another. I also had gained 80 pounds on the drug. Loss of appetite was another withdrawal effect. Sometimes I would not realize I hadn't eaten for a day until I started to shake or be dizzy. I lost 40 lbs. I found from a relative in the pharma industry that docs were being paid to prescribe the drug for non recommended uses like mine. Sooooo irresponsible. So they fine Forest but what about these awful docs and the hell we have all experienced?
Posted by

on
I have been on lexipro for over 6 years..been trying to come off it...sickness, thoughts of self harm dizzy, high blood pressure sleepless nights depression..weaned off still having problems 3 months later...and I worked in the mental health field...this is a dangerous drug
Posted by

on
Anyone had any luck getting off of this med? I've gotten terrible withdrawal symptoms every time I have tried, even after weaning.
Posted by

on
After quiting lexapro I was nuts I wanted to do is die I'm still messed up to this day how can they get away with this
Posted by

on
I still don't know what's wrong with me. Stopped lexapro as directed by dr and over 1 year later still having m more problems, dizzy, vision problems, stuttering... I think lexapro damaged my brain.
Posted by

on
When I took Lexapro for depression and anxiety, I was not told that it could make me sleep walk. I slept walk and severely broke my ankle in 2005. The next time I saw my psychiatrist she asked what happened to my ankle and I told her that I had slept walked and broke it and that the doctors at the hospital said it was due to Lexapro, she was surprised and said she never heard of that ever happening. I wish I could sue her for giving me that medicine without even knowing that it could cause sleep walking.
Also, at the local emergency room, they almost killed me by giving me morphine, I had an allergic reaction to it and then they gave me more, and I went into respiratory failure. They transported me like that to a better hospital to have surgery on my ankle. The second hospital said that I was in respiratory failure and shouldn't have even been transported.
Posted by

on
This drug made me spin out of control emotionally and I almost committed suicide. I haven't been the same since taking this stuff.
Posted by

on
Is there a class action lawsuit for parents of these children or adults who took Celexa as children that is Nationwide? I have read the Missouri case. Like you, my son took Celexa for 12 years. We fought his behavior the entire time. I believe it caused Mania. He is bipolar and 16 years old now. We continue to fight his behavior as he enters adulthood. If there is nothing more we can do for him, Im afraid he is looking at an eventual life in jail or prison.
Posted by

on
Tracy,
I believe the class action suit alleges the drug is known
To be ineffective for use in children, and causing fatal birth defects, if the mother takes it during pregnancy; rather than it causing adverse effects in children as you describe. Talk to your child's doctor though, because antidepressants, in general, have a reputation for causing mania in bipolar patients. Hallucinations and worsening of behavioral symptoms could be indications of mania. Also, I'm not an attorney, so I can't give legal advice, but I also believe that unless there are permanent damages, you cannot have a
Negligence case (medical malpractice). Behavioral changes that resolve once the drug is discontinued are not considered permanent- they are just adverse effects that should be reported to prescribing doctor. I'm not sure if there are exceptions to that, for example, to cover "pain and suffering".
Please speak to an attorney for that answer.

-just offering friendly input, from someone who has been a
Single mother with emotionally "challenged" children for almost 20 years now.... It's a long, hard road to travel- that's the truth for sure!
Posted by

on
This makes sense now. I went through hell with my daughter after she was put on lexapro. Her behaviors became worse after the doctor switched her to Lexapro. She even had hallucinations witch lead to more of a diagnosis of possible schizophrenia rather than Bipolar .

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