FDA Alters Topamax’s Status

Topamax is an FDA approved medication for the treatment of seizures. It is also commonly used for ‘off-label’ conditions such as obesity, bipolar disorder, and others. Recently, the FDA released a warning changing Topamax’s status from a pregnancy category C drug to a pregnancy category D drug. As a pregnancy category C drug, Topamax was acknowledged to have some risk, but these risks had only been established in animal tests and that there was not enough data in human studies. Now that Topamax is a pregnancy category D drug, the FDA acknowledges that Topamax has shown evidence in human studies that it can cause damage to a human fetus.

It has been established that Topamax likely increases the risk of oral cleft defects such as cleft palate and cleft lip, and Topamax might also contribute to other birth defects such as heart defects and spina bifida.

Topamax Information:

• Topamax Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate Lawsuit
• Topamax Recall
• Topamax and Spina Bifida
• Topamax Birth Defect Lawsuits
• Topamax Cleft Lip Lawsuits
• FDA Strengthens Topamax Birth Defects Warning
• FDA: Migraine Drug Topamax Ups Risk for Oral Birth Defects
• FDA Alert: Topamax Oral Clefts Risk in Infants
• Topamax Cleft Palate Lawsuits
• Topamax (Topiramate) – Birth Defects Update

Spina Bifida

Spina bifida is a neural tube defect (NTD). Neural tube defects typically develop during pregnancy. A neural tube defect is an opening in the spinal cord or brain that happens early on in human development. The spinal cord or an embryo begins as a flat area, which becomes a tube (neural tube) approximately 28 days after conception. If the neural tube does not close completely, it may develop a neural tube defect (NTD) such as spina bifida. Usually, the neural tube defect (NTD) or spina bifida will have developed before a woman even knows that she is pregnant.

There are two main types of neural tube defects (NTD). The most common type of neural tube defect is called an open neural tube defect (NTD). Open neural tube defects occur when the brain or spinal cord are exposed at the time of birth via a defect in the vertebrae or skull. Spina bifida is an example of an open neural tube defect (NTD). Closed neural tube defects are rarer than open. Closed neural tube defects occur when the defect is covered by skin. Some examples of closed neural tube defects include lipomyelomeningocele, lipomeningocele, and tethered cord.

Topamax Spina Bifida Lawsuit: Speak to an Attorney

Many new parents ask themselves what was the cause of my child’s birth defects? Did it happen during pregnancy? The antidepressant Topamax may be linked to causing the development of birth defects in unborn babies, infants, and children when their mothers took antidepressants while pregnant.

Our law firm is handling individual birth defect lawsuits against drug and pharmaceutical companies and currently accepting new Topamax cases across the nation. If your child was born with a birth injury that you believe may have been caused by taking an antidepressant like Topamax during pregnancy, then you should contact our law firm as soon as possible for a free confidential review of your potential birth defect lawsuit case. All cases are handled on a Contingency Fee Basis (no attorney’s fees or expenses charged unless we recover for you).