When Parents May Want to Seek the Advice of a Dexilant Lawyer

Statistics show that about half of expectant mothers experience heartburn during pregnancy.  It usually starts in the first or second trimester and often continues until the birth of the baby.  Many times it is fairly mild, but some women experience severe heartburn symptoms that can damage the esophagus.

To safeguard the esophagus from the effects of burning stomach acid, and to help pregnant women feel more comfortable, doctors often prescribe proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medications that reduce stomach acid by blocking the enzyme that produces it.  Dexilant (dexlansoprazole) is one of these medications, along with Prevacid, Nexium, and Aciphex.  Recent evidence indicates that PPIs may increase a woman’s chances of giving birth to a child with Dexilant birth defects.

Women who have a child with Dexilant birth defects may want to consult with a Dexilant lawyer.

Proton Pump Inhibitor Drugs Associated with Birth Defects

Dexilant was approved by the FDA in 2009, when it was called Kapidex.  At the time, it was approved for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the healing of erosive esophagitis (EE), and the maintenance of healed EE.  In 2010, Takeda, the manufacturer of Kapidex, changed the name to Dexilant.  Takeda claims that dispensing errors with the old name would be reduced with the name change.

Dexilant has never included any warnings about Dexilant birth defects, but two studies published in 2010 indicate that warnings may be necessary.  The first, published in Gastroenterology, found that women who took PPI medications like Dexilant during the first trimester had a two-fold greater risk of giving birth to a child with cardiac birth defects.  The second, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, found that mothers who took PPI drugs during the four weeks prior to conception were more likely to have babies with birth defects.

A Dexilant Lawyer Can Best Advise on a Potential Dexilant Lawsuit

Parents who have a child with Dexilant birth defects, like septal heart defects, limb malformations, anencephaly (where the brain and skull are underdeveloped) or hydroencephaly (where dangerous levels of fluid build up in the brain), often face overwhelming medical expenses.  Just some of these costs may include surgeries, hospital stays, prescriptions, and lost wages for time parents must take away from work.

A Dexilant lawyer can help evaluate the potential for a Dexilant lawsuit, and will likely look at things like when and for how long the mother took a PPI drug, during what part of the pregnancy was the drug taken, and whether or not she had other medical conditions that might have put her at risk for having a child with birth defects.

Considering a Dexilant Lawsuit

Parents who have a child with Dexilant birth defects may be eligible for a Dexilant lawsuit.  If you or a loved one has been injured by Dexilant, or have had a child with Dexilant birth defects, contact Chaffin Luhana LLP today for a confidential case evaluation at 1-888-480-1123.