Parents Sue Maccabi Health Services Over Doctors’ Failure to Warn of Dangerous Pregnancy Drug
Parents have filed a lawsuit at the Lod District Court against Maccabi Health Services, alleging that nine doctors failed to warn a pregnant woman about the dangers of a medication, resulting in the premature birth of their child with severe lifelong disabilities. The mother, in her fourth pregnancy, was diagnosed early on with Graves' disease, affecting thyroid function, and was prescribed PTU, a drug recommended only for use during the first trimester. However, the parents claim she continued taking PTU throughout the second trimester and part of the third because none of the doctors overseeing her pregnancy advised her to stop.
According to the lawsuit, one doctor even instructed her at week 16 not to discontinue PTU. The nine doctors involved allegedly did not check or understand the medication's pregnancy restrictions or the necessary monitoring. PTU is known to carry life-threatening risks if misused. At week 30, the mother was hospitalized with severe liver failure caused by drug toxicity. Although initially discharged, she returned with bleeding and contractions, leading to an emergency cesarean delivery.
The baby was born prematurely weighing only 1.6 kilograms, required ventilation in the neonatal intensive care unit, and was released after more than a month. Now eight years old, the child attends special education and suffers from developmental delays, attention disorders, epilepsy, and psychiatric conditions. Experts for the plaintiffs estimate his functional age at 34 months and assess a 95% permanent disability, predicting significant challenges in living independently or forming a family.
The lawsuit accuses the medical staff of gross negligence, arguing that proper monitoring would have prevented the mother from continuing PTU treatment and avoided liver damage. Medical literature links liver failure to premature birth, establishing causality between the negligence and the child's condition. The parents also criticize the fragmented care, stating no doctor took full responsibility for the pregnancy. They seek at least 2.5 million shekels in compensation from Maccabi. Maccabi Health Services stated they have not yet received the lawsuit and cannot comment.
