WAYNE -- Nineteen cases have been filed against Pfizer after mothers claim their children suffered from birth defects due to Zoloft.
Roerig, a division of Pfizer, Inc., and Greenstone, LLC were also named as defendants in the suit.
John Cook, a minor by and through his mother and next friend, Michelle Cook; Madison Windon, a minor by and through her mother and next friend, Angela Dropp; Ian Zodel, a minor by and through his mother and next friend, Mary Masters; Mackenzie Maskill, a minor by and through her mother and next friend, Jeanette Maskill; Daniel Mardorf, a minor by and through his mother and next friend, Rebecca Mardorf; Justin Simpson, a minor by and through his mother and next friend, Cindy Simpson-Durand; Heather Scalisi, a minor by and through her mother and next friend, Shannon Scalisi; Emily Darcy, a minor by and through her mother and next friend; Denice Darcy; Christa Bell, a minor by and through her mother and next friend, Lala Fields; Levi Vinson, a minor by and through his mother and next friend, Lorie Vinson; Joseph Eyerman, a minor by and through his mother and next friend, Marlo Cheeks; Allison Norfolk, a minor by and through her mother and next friend, Heather Norfolk; Tristan Skurry, a minor by and through his mother and next friend, Dawn Skurry; Abigail Hussey, a minor by and through her mother and next friend, Heather Slabaugh; Adam Widner, a minor by and through his mother and next friend Sheri Widner; Karleigh Wolfertz, a minor by and through her mother and next friend, Angela Wolfertz; Heaven Cruz, a minor by and through her mother and next friend, Melissa Shroyer; Cain Seagraves, a minor by and through his mother and next friend, Kimberly Lancaster; and Dylan Brumfield, a minor by and through his mother and next friend, Nina Brumfield were prescribed and/or exposed to Zoloft in utero, according to 19 complains filed July 11 in Wayne Circuit Court.
The mother plaintiffs claim they took Zoloft as prescribed by treating physicians while pregnant.
The minor plaintiffs were born suffering from congenital defects, such as atrial septal defect; multiple holes in the heart and/or began to suffer from persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn; neural tube defects; craniofacial defects; and other adverse malformations, according to the suits.
The plaintiffs claim the defects and injuries suffered were a direct result of the mothers' ingestion of Zoloft during pregnancy in a manner and dosage recommended by the defendants and prescribed by the plaintiffs' doctors.
Pfizer knew or should have known of the that Zoloft caused serious birth defects, according to the suits.
The plaintiffs claim prior to becoming pregnant, the defendants knew or should have known that children were being born with congenital birth defects, heart defects, persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn and other related conditions to women who took Zoloft during pregnancy.
As a result of the defendants' actions and inactions, the plaintiffs suffered and will continue to suffer injuries, damages and losses, according to the suits.
They claim the drug is defective; dangerous to human health; unfit and unsuitable to be marketed and sold; and lacks the proper warnings as to the dangers associated with its use.
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. They are being represented by Paul T. Farrell Jr., Bert Ketchum, Jason A. Itkin and Noah M. Wexler.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge James H. Young Jr.
Wayne Circuit Court case numbers: 12-C-146, 12-C-147, 12-C-148, 12-C-149, 12-C-150, 12-C-151, 12-C-152, 12-C-153, 12-C-154, 12-C-155, 12-C-156, 12-C-157, 12-C-158, 12-C-159, 12-C-160, 12-C-161, 12-C-162, 12-C-163, 12-C-164