Profit maximization—that was the driving force of a pharmaceutical company’s marketing campaign. Not patient health maximization. The primary concern of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in one of their sales campaigns rested in money, not healing.
Zofran (ondansetron)
GSK developed Zofran to treat nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy patients. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug for these purposes. And with approval in hand, GSK moved forward with their marketing efforts.
Making physicians think of money, not health
The pharmaceutical company ran a sales campaign with the tagline “Profit Maximization—It’s in the Bag”, according to Courthouse News in an article from November 2015.
The tagline’s target audience—doctors. With such a tagline, GSK sought to direct physician focus to finances, not health.
Marketing to make Zofran look good
GSK promoted Zofran to the medical community and to consumers as safe for pregnant mothers. This way, doctors could feel good about writing off-label prescriptions for mothers-to-be, while also taking advantage of kickbacks from GSK.
GSK’s marketing efforts made Zofran appear safe and effective for morning sickness, even though the FDA never approved Zofran to treat this pregnancy symptom.
Having constructed a positive, strong reputation for Zofran, GSK could conceal what they knew about Zofran birth defects.
The Brown family’s Zofran birth defect lawsuit
In a Zofran birth defect lawsuit filed on October 29, 2015, the plaintiff alleged that Zofran caused her child to be born with congenital band syndrome and teratological clubfoot.
Congenital band syndrome can cut off circulation, hinder development, and result in amputation.
Teratological clubfoot, a condition where a child is born with feet pointing inward, can be caused by exposure to “toxic substances” in the womb, according to Courthouse News, who cited the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
Zofran lawsuits consolidated
A judicial panel consolidated Zofran lawsuits in a federal court in Boston in October 2015. In early March 2016, there were almost 250 lawsuits pending in that court.
The multidistrict litigation is In re: Zofran (Ondansetron) Products Liability Litigation MDL No. 2657 in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
You aren’t alone
You aren’t alone in your experience with Zofran birth defects. And, you can hold GlaxoSmithKline accountable for their misleading practices.
We can help you
Carey Danis & Lowe currently represents families whose lives have been turned upside down by Zofran. We understand the pain and suffering caused by this drug, and that’s why we want to help you. We offer free, no obligation case evaluations.
Call one of our Zofran lawyers today at 800.721.2519.
You can also reach us online. Please complete a confidential personal injury claim form.
We look forward to offering you any help that we can.
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