Is there currently a class-action Celexa lawsuit?
No Celexa class-action lawsuits are underway, but the US District Court for the State of Massachusetts has consolidated 13 lawsuits into ongoing multidistrict litigation (MDL). Forest Laboratories, Inc. and Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc. are named in the lawsuits. It alleges that they engaged in deceptive marketing practices—that they illegally compensated doctors in exchange for prescribing Celexa.
MDL suits like the Celexa lawsuit in Massachusetts are used when many people have suffered injury from the same plaintiff. Consolidating the suits helps courts reach a decision faster. MDLs are not the same as class-action lawsuits. In an MDL, each case is an individual lawsuit and remains so throughout the process. Class-action lawsuits are filed by only one or two plaintiffs on behalf of a larger group.
Anyone in the U.S. with a claim can join an MDL. McIntyre Law represents clients all over the country—though we’re based in America’s heartland. We will represent you with the small-town service we give to all of our clients. Our founder, Noble McIntyre, is just a phone call away.
What to Know Before You File a Lawsuit
You may be eligible to file a Celexa lawsuit if you or your child have suffered because of the drug. If you do, you’ll be lining up against a pharmaceutical company that deals with lawsuits like these all the time. It’s an uphill battle without experienced professionals on your side. For instance, you’ll need to file the appropriate petitions, summons, and complaints with the court. If this paperwork isn’t correct, you could lose your right to compensation.
You’ll also need to obtain applicable medical records—both for yourself and for your child. And you may need to do this right away because your records can be destroyed after just a few years—legal requirements for storing medical records vary from state to state. McIntyre Law will help you get those records before they are destroyed.
We can help you get the compensation you deserve.
With the experienced Celexa lawyers at McIntyre Law by your side, you’ll be on an even playing field with big pharma.
What is a contingency fee?
When a lawyer works on a “contingency fee” basis, they’re agreeing to accept a fixed percentage of any monetary rewards from your lawsuit to cover their legal fees. If there are no rewards from the case, you don’t pay the lawyer. We get paid if, and only if, you do.
The Statute of Limitations for Celexa Lawsuits
Time is running out to file a Celexa lawsuit. The statute of limitations to file such lawsuits varies from state to state. You have a limited time to file from the moment you knew, or should have known, about the injuries caused by Celexa. This can be difficult to pin down. If your child shows the signs of developmental delay, you may not have seen these signs for months or years. So, if you were taking Celexa during your pregnancy, call us before it’s too late. We can help you determine whether you can file a Celexa lawsuit.
What compensation can I get from a Celexa lawsuit?
A court will decide how much compensation plaintiffs receive in a Celexa lawsuit. Typically, they look at all of the different ways that physical injuries, emotional suffering, and other issues impacted the lives of the victims. So, you are eligible for compensation for more than just medical costs. The court realizes that birth defects and developmental delays caused by Celexa will impact families for decades. Compensation types include:
- Cash awards
- Pain and suffering
- Lost income
- Future expenses
- Travel costs for medical visits
- Emotional suffering
Working with McIntyre Law
Celexa birth defects are causing American families to suffer. At McIntyre Law, we want drug companies to take responsibility for the damage their products create. Our mission is to help suffering families like you get the compensation you deserve.
Do you have a case for a Celexa lawsuit?
If you took Celexa while you were pregnant, and your child suffered from a birth defect or exhibits the signs of developmental delays, you may be entitled to compensation. Call us and speak to our Celexa experts. It’s free and only takes a few minutes. You have nothing to lose.
Meet our Celexa Attorneys
Our experienced lawyers are ready to work with you, as a team, to get the compensation you deserve.
What is Celexa?
Celexa is part of a family of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs are prescribed to patients suffering from depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter and is thought to help regulate emotions. SSRIs work by preventing the reabsorption of serotonin in the body. When someone’s serotonin levels are higher, they may experience an improvement in their mood, lessening the impact of depression and anxiety. When pregnant women are taking SSRIs like Celexa, their fetus will show higher-than-normal levels of serotonin.
Source: FDA Website
Who manufactures Celexa?
Forest Laboratories (acquired by Allergan) is the company that produces and markets Celexa in the United States. The company has already paid hundreds of millions of dollars to settle civil and criminal lawsuits in connection with their marketing of Celexa and other depression treatments. In 2010, Forest pled guilty to criminal charges and agreed to pay $313 million in a lawsuit concerning misleading marketing claims.
Are there other drugs like Celexa?
SSRIs like Celexa can all cause similar side effects—including birth defects and developmental delays. If you were being treated for depression while you were pregnant, you may have a claim even if you took an SSRI other than Celexa. Call McIntyre Law if you believe your child suffered as a result of exposure to one of these SSRIs:
Paxil Lawsuits
Paxil (paroxetine) treats depression, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder.
Prozac Lawsuits
Prozac (fluoxetine) treats depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, some eating disorders, and panic attacks.
Zoloft Lawsuits
Zoloft (sertraline) treats depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social anxiety disorder.
Celexa Side Effects and Birth Defects
Studies of SSRI patients have shown that the drugs increase the risk of birth defects. Further evidence shows that SSRIs may increase the risk of autism. Some of these side effects will be apparent at birth, others may develop later in a child’s life. If you were taking Celexa while you were pregnant, and you or your child suffered from any of the following complications, contact a Celexa lawyer immediately:
Celexa Side Effects in Newborns
- Anencephaly
- Craniosynostosis
- Omphalocele
- Persistent pulmonary hypertension
- Premature birth
- Miscarriage
- Withdrawal symptoms (such as: breathing difficulties, turning blue, low blood sugar, jaundice, changing body temperatures, feeding problems, convulsions, vomiting, floppiness, stiffness, irritability, jitteriness, abnormal crying, and tremors)
- Clubbed foot
- Cleft lip or palate
- Delayed development
- Gastroschisis
- Enlarged heart
- Septal heart defects
- Left outflow tract heart defects
- Microcephaly
- Neural tube defects
- Spina bifida
Source: BMJ Journals, Web MD
Is it safe to take Celexa during pregnancy?
If you become pregnant while taking Celexa, consult your doctor as soon as you can. While Celexa and other SSRIs do pose risks to your child’s health, untreated depression is a risk to both you and your child. Every patient is different. Work with your doctor, weighing the risks and benefits of taking Celexa during pregnancy. Never stop taking Celexa or any SSRI before consulting your doctor. Stopping without additional treatment could cause dangerous changes in your emotional health.
After you give birth, your child will be exposed to Celexa through breastfeeding. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping Celexa use.
Celexa Recalls
Even though studies have shown that the children of mothers taking SSRIs while pregnant have a higher risk of birth defects, neither the FDA nor Forest Pharmaceuticals have recalled the drug.
Celexa and the FDA
The FDA approved Celexa in 1998. Since then, it has monitored both labeling and side effects of this powerful drug.
The first SSRI fluoxetine, marketed as Prozac, was introduced in the United States.
The Danish pharmaceutical company Lundbeck introduces Cipramil, the forerunner of Celexa.
FDA approves Celexa for treatment of depression.
Study finds that SSRIs are associated with increased incidence of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, a rare but frequently deadly condition.
Forest Pharmaceuticals agrees to pay $313 million in fines and compensation after being charged with misleading advertising of Celexa.
Johns Hopkins study shows that boys with autism were three times more likely to have been exposed to SSRIs in the womb.
Study of more than 18,000 pregnant women shows that SSRI use increased the risk of certain birth defects.
How did Celexa get approved by the FDA?
Celexa is among several of SSRIs that have been approved by the FDA. Prozac was the first SSRI to be approved in 1988. The FDA classifies SSRIs as a category C drug for pregnant women, citing studies that show elevated risks of birth defects.