Paxil Lawsuit
Paxil Lawsuit
Paxil is a powerful antidepressant used to treat various disorders, as it works to restore the balance of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a natural substance that has been found to assist in restoring a stable and more positive, healthy mood. Paxil is commonly used to treat various mood disorders such as:
Depression
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Anxiety
Post Traumatic Stress
Premenstrual Dysphonic Disorder
Dangerous Side Effects
Due to an FDA issued mandate, all physicians that prescribe Paxil must monitor patients closely for the first 12 weeks, after a spur of patients under 24 having violent and suicidal tendencies and thoughts during the use of Paxil. There have also been birth defects associated with children born by a mother taking Paxil leading to several FDA warnings and regulations.
Common Side Effects
There are several side effects linked to Paxil, as will many other prescription medications, with differing severity. The most common and less serious side effects are:
Nervousness
Drowsiness or bouts of dizziness
Insomnia
Mild nausea
Similar other mild irritations and symptoms
Serious Side Effects:
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Easy bruising
Rigid muscles
Fever and sweating
Unsteady feeling
Suicidal ideas and behaviors
Memory loss
There have been shown to be quite serious side effects on fetuses of pregnant women that are under Paxil treatment such as serious heart defects and life-threatening lung defects. As Paroxetine can be transferred through breast milk during nursing, nursing is not permitted during Paxil use. Despite these various risks, Paxil was actually the fifth most prescribed antidepressant in the U.S. in 2006 with over 19 million prescriptions.
Settlements
Paxil, as well as many other SSRI group medications, has spiked a great deal of controversy since passing for distribution in 1993. The seriousness of several of the risks, especially those to unborn children, have spurred class action as well as smaller civil lawsuits, resulting in nearly $1 billion spent by Paxil’s manufacturers, GlaxoSmithKline-referred to as Glaxo, in settlements alone. Various families of patients that have succumbed to these suicidal and violent thoughts have filed suit against Paxil, many winning large settlements, some only winning compensatory damages such as hospital bills and similar fees.
In 1998, in Cheyenne, a family filed suit against then named SmithKline Beecham pharmaceuticals after a man shot his family then himself, under the treatment of Paxil. In 2001, Glaxo was ordered to pay a hefty settlement of $6.4 million to these relatives. In 2004, Glaxo was under scrutiny after claims of company officials burying research proving the suicidal risks for younger patients of Paxil. The settlement was $2.5 million.
Class Action Lawsuits
There was a broken tablet class action claim filed against Paxil after several controlled-release tablets were found to be splitting open after consumption. This was found to be releasing the dose more quickly than intended, while causing an imbalance of the overall release. There were claims that this was causing part of the dose to be released and even too much of the dose being released at once.
With all the health risks associated, this was causing a peak in interest, and in 2005 Glaxo was raided by armed marshals and the FDA in Puerto Rico and Tennessee. This was the effect of learning that the pills manufactured in these plants were breaking apart. It was then disclosed that in 2002, the FDA had initially discovered the issue in Puerto Rico, but the warnings and inspections were ignored. The settlement of $28 million will seek to provide compensation for various patients taking these pills during the specified time frame.
There have been about 600 lawsuits against Paxil concerning birth defects, many of which have not been won, as there have been various factors leading the decision in Glaxo’s favor. As one of the first winning cases against Paxil for birth defects, the family of 3-year old Lyam Kilker was awarded a compensatory settlement of $2.5 million. The company was charged with concealing the possible risks of taking Paxil for unborn children whose mothers take the prescription drug. This hiding of information lead to the mother’s physician not knowing to inform her of the risks or supplement the prescription causing serious heart defects in Lyam. The family was not awarded with punitive damages as Paxil could not be found guilty of aggressively marketing these drugs with full intention to deceive patients and physicians coined by the term “outrageously handled”.
If you or a loved one has experienced serious side effects or health complications with Paxil, fill out a case evaluation form today. Our team of attorneys has experience specific to complications associated with prescription medication. Not only can they give you the legal guidance you need, they can help you get the compensation you deserve.
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Doc Johnson
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