Thornton Law Firm currently represents over 100 children with one of the most devastating types of birth defects, neural tube defects, arising from exposure to toxic chemicals and other hazardous substances. Neural tube defects are disorders of the central nervous system and involve such conditions as spina bifida (incomplete development of the spine), anencephaly (the skull does not close completely and part of the brain may be missing), and encephalocele (the brain is pushed through an opening in the skull).
A new, peer-reviewed study has found that children born to mothers who took common prescription painkillers at or near the time of conception were more than twice as likely to be born with neural tube defects such as spina bifida. The scientists found a strong association between mothers who took prescription opioid painkillers (including Vicodin, Oxycontin, Percocet) and a significantly increased risk of having a child with one of these serious birth defects. This 12-year study of more than 20,000 women was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and conducted by Boston University’s Slone Epidemiology Center. This study confirms prior studies linking opioid painkillers to various birth defects.
We believe that the scientific evidence strongly supports the link between the use of these prescription painkillers to relieve pain from migraines, medical and dental procedures, bone/joint injuries and infections and who have children born with neural tube defects.
If you took an opioid painkiller around the time of conception and your child was born with a neural tube birth defect, please tell us your story here or call attorneys David Strouss or Marilyn McGoldrick at 1-888-491-9726 to discuss your legal rights with our experienced team of birth defect lawyers.
