ST. LOUIS (CN) - A jury awarded a Minnesota girl $15 million due to birth defects caused by a drug taken by her mother while pregnant.
The lawsuit claims 12-year-old Maddison Schmidt suffered numerous birth defects including spina bifida after her mother took Depakote, an anti-epileptic drug, during her pregnancy. Schmidt claimed drugmaker Abbott downplayed Depakote's dangers and that the drug was defectively designed and inadequately tested.
The St. Louis City jury came back with a unanimous verdict Tuesday after beginning deliberations Friday. The jury is currently deciding punitive damages.
Schmidt is one of two dozen plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
Depakote generated $1.5 billion in U.S. sales in 2007 before its patent expired in 2008, according to a regulatory filing by Abbott.
In 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a safety announcement about pregnant women's use of certain drugs, including Depakote, citing a recent study that showed the use of Depakote by pregnant women could lead to decreased IQ scores in children.
In 2012, in a separate matter, Abbott agreed to pay $1.5 billion to settle claims that it was promoting the use of Depakote for off-label uses.
Follow @@joeharris_stl
Subscribe to Closing Arguments
Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.
Additional Reads
-
Alaska, Hawaiian Airlines April 17, 2024 -
-
Contributor-Test-Post-2024-04-12 April 12, 2024 -
