Paxil & Birth Defects

Paxil is a popular antidepressant which has been on the market since 1992 and is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. It is used to treat people with depression, OCD, anxiety, PTSD, and PMDD as well as other similar conditions.

As with almost any anti-depressant, there is a long list of possible side effects associated with taking Paxil. One such potential side effect is birth defects if the drug is taken by a woman during pregnancy. Studies have shown that if Paxil is taken during the first trimester a baby is 1 ½ - 2 times more likely to be born with a heart defect (usually holes in the interior walls of the heart). Other studies have shown that if Paxil is taken any time after the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, a baby may be born with persistent pulmonary hypertension (abnormal blood flow through the heart and lungs and thus insufficient oxygen to their bodies). This condition can lead to multiple organ failure, brain damage, developmental delays, neurological deficits and ultimately death.

For more information on how Paxil can affect a baby if taken during pregnancy, please visit this website or the FDA’s website. Also, please view the GlaxoSmithKline’s September 2005 letter to healthcare professionals on this matter.

If you, your baby or anyone you know has been injured by this or any other pharmaceutical product, contact us for a free consultation about your potential case.

Baby Stroller Safety Risk

I was reading the June 2010 issue of the Consumer Reports magazine and came across something that parents with small children might like to know. Consumer Reports has rated three models of baby strollers as “Don’t Buy: Safety Risk” – those strollers are:

- Valco Baby Tri-Mode
- Tike Tech City X3 all-terrain stroller
- Tike Tech X3 Port jogging stroller

These strollers received this rating due to the hazard of an unrestrained child slipping beneath the grab bar and getting stuck resulting in potential injury or death. (This is referred to as “submarining.”) Although the Consumer Products Safety Commission does not specify the particular strollers involved, they do report that there have been at least 10 infant deaths associated with submarining between 1995 and 2008.

Safety regulations require that if the space beneath the bar is large enough for a child’s body to pass through, it must also be large enough for the child’s head to pass through. Of course, a child should always be properly strapped into his or her stroller.

If your child or the child of anyone you know has been injured by a faulty product such as these or any other defective products, contact us for a free consultation about your potential case.

Product recall: Miley Cyrus jewelry

Just yesterday, Wal-Mart announced that it was recalling its entire line of the popular Miley Cyrus brand of jewelry following reports that the jewelry contains a high level of cadmium – a toxic metal.

Long-term exposure to this metal is dangerous because it can cause bone softening and kidney failure and because it can hinder brain development. There is no danger in wearing the jewelry; however, it can be very dangerous if the metal is ingested. For example, many children place their jewelry/pendants in their mouth and suck and chew on them. This particular jewelry line, when exposed to a chemical similar to stomach acid, very easily released the toxic metal.

Exposure to this chemical is especially hazardous to girls ages 6-11. This may be because girls in this age range tend to have iron deficiencies and their bodies substitute cadmium instead.

Wal-Mart has also recalled some of its Disney pendants.

Claire’s and Dollar N More stores have also recalled some of the charm bracelets sold at their stores.

If you or anyone you know has been injured by a product such as this or any other defective product, contact us for a free consultation about your potential case.

Product recall: "Auto Fire" toy target set

The below-pictured toy dart gun set has been recalled by Family Dollar Store in conjunction with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) following the deaths of two children. The suction cups, which are smaller than the size of a penny, present an asphyxiation hazard. These defective toys can cause children to suffocate and suffer brain injuries and even death. The two children’s deaths were caused when the children placed the soft, pliable plastic toy dart in their mouths and breathed them into their airways.

The dart guns were manufactured in China and sold exclusively by Family Dollar Stores. Family Dollar Stores began selling the toy in September 2005 and stopped selling it in January 2009. The recall was just announced on May 17, 2010.

Gardasil marketed towards boys as well as girls

Much controversy has surrounded the use of the new Gardasil vaccination in girls and young women. Now the drug is also being marketed towards boys and young men. Gardasil is a vaccine which aids in the protection against HPV (human papillomavirus), a sexually-transmitted disease which can cause genital warts in both males and females. The drug is administered to individuals between the ages of 9 and 26.

Of course, this drug was only introduced in 2006 and little is known about the long-term effects this drug can cause. Some possible serious side effects that have been experienced recently include:

- Gastroenteritis;
- Appendicitis;
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID);
- Asthma or bronchospasms (airway spasms);
- Blood clots in the legs or lungs;
- Seizures; and
- Guillain-Barré syndrome.

There have also been 49 reported deaths connected with the use of Gardasil according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

While Merck insists its products are safe for use by individuals between the ages of 9 and 26, we at the Studstill Firm, LLP encourage you to discuss the risks with your doctor or child’s doctor prior to using this product. If you or anyone you know has been injured by this or any other pharmaceutical product, contact us for a free consultation about your potential case.

Georgia Legislature Bans Texting While Driving

It’s a hot topic in the news these days – Texting While Driving, or TWD. After all, nearly every driver in the US owns or has regular access to a cell phone.

Even Oprah is using her platform to campaign against TWD / distracted driving. Oprah’s efforts against distracted driving have led to the designation of today, April 30, as National No Phone Zone Day. This morning, Oprah, together with Holly Robinson Peete, recorded her show at the Ferst Center for the Arts at Georgia Tech in Atlanta on this very topic. When this show airs (check your local listings), it will feature expert discussion on the dangers of distracted driving.

Just yesterday, both branches of the Georgia Legislature passed legislation restricting the use of cell phones while driving. These bills are expected to become law effective July 1, 2010, pending the signature of Gov. Sonny Perdue.

The bills, HB 23 and SB 360 (also known as the “Caleb Sorohan Act”) provide that no person, regardless of age, may use a telecommunications device to read, write or send any text based communication while driving. In addition, no drivers under age 18 or with a learner’s permit or Class D driver’s license may use any wireless telecommunications device for any purpose while operating a motor vehicle, including phone calls.

Violation of these provisions may result in a fines of up to $150 (which may be doubled if a collision results), points on the driving record and suspension of the driver’s license.

Prior to this law, in Georgia, the only prohibition was on school bus drivers – they are prohibited from using cellular phones while driving if passengers are present.

I am sure we can all appreciate the efforts being made by the Georgia Legislature (as well as many of the other states who have passed similar legislation) to make our roads safer for everyone. However, it is not only the responsibility of our law makers to make the roads safer. Instruct your children and other teen drivers about safe driving practices, including but not limited to TWD. Helpful tools can be found at www.keepthedrive.com and www.allstateteendriver.com as well as many other websites. You can also view many PSA’s such as this (caution: video footage may be graphic) or this. I am sure we all have a thing or two to learn from these sources as well.

Medical Malpractice Caps Video - The Nestlehutts

Sometime this month, it is expected that the Georgia Supreme Court will rule on the caps on damages in medical malpractice cases. The caps were put into place by the Georgia Legislature in 2005 and cap certain damages given to injured patients and their families by Georgia juries.

For more information, you can watch this video explaining the caps and detailing the case that is being decided by the Georgia Supreme Court.