Zofran Lawsuit Loan: Settlement Funding

If you’re worried about a potential Zofran lawsuit, you don’t have to go through the process yourself (considering this can be exhausting, we hope this is good news for you!). Often, the biggest concern is money; how are you supposed to deal with legal costs on top of medical bills and personal expenses? Well, with Impact Legal Funding, this doesn’t have to be a problem with pre-settlement lawsit funding.

What’s Zofran?

Although the medication is actually called ‘ondansetron hydrochloride’, Zofran is the brand name and one of the most well-known products made by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a global pharmaceutical company based in the UK. When it comes to dealing with vomiting and nausea, Zofran once had a brilliant track record and this allowed it to become a staple for those with cancer and receiving regular radiation therapy.

In addition to this, Zofran was also used for nausea after surgery. Most importantly, it was approved by the FDA for these purposes.

Unfortunately, Zofran has also been in the news in a negative light after it became popular within the pregnancy niche. For many soon-to-be mothers, they started to take the medication only to then experience birth defects; this included spontaneous abortion, cleft palate, and various other conditions. Sadly, the problem escalated as physicians continued recommending the medication for pregnancy-related nausea.

Side Effects of Zofran

Currently, the medication is listed as a Category B medication which means it isn't safe for pregnant women. However, it’s believed the company itself kept this information to themselves and even physicians prescribed the medication knowing the potential consequences. Over the years, many abnormal symptons to mother and child have been recorded including; dizziness, fainting, cleft palate, skeletal issues, abnormal heartbeats, swelling, spontaneous abortion, and even still birth.

According to a particular study from Denmark, Zofran increased the potential of birth defects to 30% (the study considered one million pregnancies). Furthermore, it suggested an almost 50% risk of heart defects while also increasing the risk of cleft palates by two and a half times.

Zofran and Previous Lawsuit Settlements 

For many years, there wasn't a common treatment for sickness until Zofran was finally approved by the FDA back towards the early 1990s. Originally, the approval regarded cancer patients looking for relief after radiation treatment. Before the millennium, GSK received a warning from the FDA for their marketing practices. Above all, the company was considered to be failing in their responsibility to present side effects and risk information.

In 2001, despite the warnings, GSK decided to promote Zofran to pregnant women and sales reached well over $800 million. Despite not being approved for this purpose, pregnant women around the world were using it and many different studies were released with varying outcomes. Eventually, in 2006, GSK’s patent for the product was removed and doctors reverted to a generic solution called ‘ondansetron’ - a generic version of the drug.

Finally, the National Center for Biotechnology Information showed the world a direct link between birth defects and Zofran in a 2011 study. In 2013, following more studies in 2012 showing the potential of fatal heart defects, the FDA released a severe warning about the drug.

As a result of this terrible decade for the industry, and for many families, many lawsuits have been filed. For one Minnesota mother, who gave birth to two daughters with defects, she became the first case in 2015; by the end of the same year, there were 150 open cases. Ever since, this number has only increased and GSK were also forced to pay over $3 billion in criminal and civil penalties after promoting in an ‘off-label manner’.

Do I Have a Zofran Case?

In addition to the $3 billion fine, GSK has agreed to pay money in many cases; while on the note of this fine, it was the largest ever paid by a pharmaceutical company. Unfortunately, victims aren't guaranteed to be paid compensation but this fine is a positive step (almost one of admission). If you’re to file a case, the factors considered would include;

• The side effects for the child
• The extent of the drug intake
• Whether the case is filed alone or as part of the MDL

For the most severe Zofran cases, a healthy settlement is likely but it won’t be easy. Like many other pharmaceutical companies, GSK has lots of money and they’re likely to extend the cases for as long as possible to try and reduce settlements. How do we know this? On one occasion, they’ve already moved for the lawsuits to be dismissed; this was, of course, rejected.

In terms of the MDL, more cases are still being added and this has the potential of leading to two outcomes; 1) it could force them into resolving sooner than expected or 2) it could lead GSK to wait further. Regardless of what happens, we know you don’t need the uncertainty in your life which is where Impact Legal Funding comes in.

Impact Legal Funding - Pre-Settlement Loans

From the outside, taking on GSK seems an impossible task. Shortly after advertising their product to pregnant women, revenue surpassed the one billion dollar mark. For many, they don’t feel as though they have the power to be victorious. This being said, many plaintiffs are fighting tough and the position of GSK has been weakened by the heavy fine and the loss of the FDA’s support.

After partnering with the right attorney, you’ll need financial support and we can help at Impact Legal Funding. When considering cases, we look at two variables; 1) the district of your case and 2) the extent of the damages. To qualify, there are only three considerations;

• You must have taken Zofran
• You must have an attorney
• You must have a child suffering from side effects mentioned in this guide

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call one of ourpre-settlement funding professionals. We’ll always respect your privacy, keep all information confidential, and we don’t expect any payment in return until the case has settled. With this in mind, the loan will be completely free from risk.  If you don’t win your case, you owe us nothing.  You don’t have to pay back the pre-settlement funding loan.

With pre-settlement lawsuit funding from Impact Legal Funding, you don’t have to worry about finances while your attorney works to get the Zoltan settlement you deserve!