Seroxat / Paxil - USA Class Action Lawsuits wind down

Paxil - Class Action Lawsuits

http://www.oklahoma-law.com/PracticeAreas/Paxil-Class-Action-Lawsuits.asp

After FDA approval in 1992, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) introduced Paxil® into the US market with an aggressive marketing campaign. It aired TV and radio ads that promoted the drug's ability to alleviate depression and social anxiety. None of the ads discussed the possibility that patients may suffer severe symptoms of withdrawal when trying to stop taking the drug. In December 2001, GSK began warning about withdrawal symptoms, and so the statute of limitations on claims in many states have expired. As a result, the withdrawal litigation against GSK has wound down. If you have questions about Paxil® withdrawal litigation, contact a competent and experienced personal injury attorney from in today. If you have questions about Paxil® withdrawal litigation, contact a competent and experienced personal injury attorney today.

The Problems with Paxil®
The problem with Paxil® is not related to the side effects individuals experience while they are taking the drug. In fact, one of the reasons it is so widely prescribed (more than 25 million prescriptions each year) is because people experience fewer side effects while on the drug than they do when taking other SSRIs. The problems show up when people try to stop taking Paxil® because they experience acute withdrawal symptoms. The symptoms range from mild to severe and include a wide range of pain and suffering. Examples include electric zaps, jolting, dizziness, light-headedness, vertigo, incoordination, gait disturbances, sweating, extreme nausea, vomiting, high fever, abdominal discomfort, flu symptoms, anorexia, diarrhea, agitation, tremulousness, irritability, aggression, sleep disturbances, nightmares, tremor, confusion, memory and concentration difficulties, lethargy, malaise, weakness, fatigue, paraesthesias, ataxia and/or myalgia

Withdrawal from Paxil® is more severe than with other SSRIs because Paxil® has a shorter half-life; it clears the body faster so the pain associated with the body's adjustment is more intense. Other SSRIs leave the body over a longer period of time, thus the body's readjustment is less intense and fewer withdrawal symptoms, if any, are experienced. The cycle with Paxil® is paradoxical because as an SSRI that lingers in the system the withdrawal symptoms appear later making it seem the that depression has set in again — and so the doctor's answer is to put the patient back on Paxil®.

The Allegations
The details of the claims against GSK are based on a theory of strict liability and allege GSK failed to warn doctors and patients about the potential side effects of taking the drugs. The allegations included the following:

Paxil® can cause some people who take it to experience serious and unexpected withdrawal reactions. Neither the patients nor the physicians expect these withdrawal reactions because the manufacturer has deliberately failed to warn of their potential occurrence.
Both physician and patient begin treatment with Paxil® without knowing the drug's addictive traits. Plaintiffs were ever informed before starting Paxil® that it was addictive, induced dependency or created withdrawal reactions when dosage was reduced or terminated.
Because GSK has suppressed information about the severe withdrawal reactions of its drug, many patients and their physicians are fooled into thinking that the withdrawal reactions are caused by another condition (such as relapse of depression), thus prompting further incorrect and unnecessary medical treatment, including increased dosages of Paxil®. As a result, Paxil® creates both physical and psychological dependency.
GSK has known for years the distinct characteristics of Paxil® that make it prone to cause withdrawal reactions when discontinued. While the medical community has acknowledged the potential for all SSRIs to cause dependency/withdrawal syndrome, Paxil® is the worst. Plaintiffs also charged GSK with fraud and deceit, negligence, strict liability, breach of warranty and implied warranty.

Recent Developments
In October 2006, an Illinois class action lawsuit over the alleged fraudulent promotion of antidepressant Paxil® was settled, with GSK agreeing to pay $63.8 million without admitting liability. The class action suit alleged that GSK promoted child and adolescent use of Paxil® without fully disclosing all of the drug's safety risks. As part of the settlement, people who bought Paxil® or Paxil CR® for their children or teens are eligible to receive a refund of the purchase price.

Conclusion
Litigation over withdrawal symptoms against GSK has been winding down. GSK first warned about withdrawal symptoms in December 2001, so the statute of limitations for bringing a claim has expired in many states. If you have questions about Paxil® withdrawal symptoms litigation or other lawsuits regarding the drug, contact an experienced attorney at in . If you have questions about Paxil® withdrawal symptoms litigation or other lawsuits regarding the drug, contact an experienced attorney.

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