While Prozac has enjoyed much success in terms of its overall results and its market share, there have been serious problems that have arisen that have been linked to the use of Prozac. These alleged Prozac side effects have inflicted irreparable harm on many people. Below you will find a brief overview of these alleged Prozac side effects, and anyone who has been harmed as a result of being prescribed this medication should seek the help of New York medical malpractice lawyers as soon as possible.
Prozac Described
Prozac is a drug that’s prescribed for depression that’s manufactured by Eli Lilly and Co., which is one of the true corporate giants of the pharmaceutical industry. It was originally approved for use in the United States by the FDA in 1999, and it is a member of a group of medications known as SSRI’s or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Prozac works by helping to balance the chemicals that exist in the brain, most prominently a substance known as serotonin. Doing so minimizes the effects of depression.
Alleged Prozac Side Effects
Unfortunately, a few years after Prozac hit the market, allegations of Prozac side effects began to emerge. Many of these side effects were minor, but there was one report of a significant problem for those who used Prozac, and this concerned pregnant women and the risks presented to their unborn children.
Specifically, reports of children whose mothers who had used Prozac during the second half of their pregnancies began to arise concerning many of these children being diagnosed with a health condition known as Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension, or PPHN. PPHN is a little-known condition that is extremely dangerous for children.
PPHN involves a child who does not have the ability to begin to take in oxygen from the lungs as opposed to the umbilical cord after he or she is born. As such, symptoms of PPHN tend to appear quickly and involve difficulty breathing and a blue tint to the skin among others. While PPHN can be managed, the damage done from the lack of oxygen can continue to appear later in the child’s life in the form of developmental delays.
If you were prescribed Prozac while you were pregnant and your child was born with Prozac side effects, you need to seek the help of New York medical malpractice lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of children for many years. Contact The Fitzgerald Law Firm today to schedule a free initial consultation.