Paxil is an SSRI anti-depressant that was first developed by GlaxoSmithKline and approved by the FDA in 1992. Paxil is the most potent of the SSRIs and is thought to work by acting on the brain’s neurons. SSRIs—selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors—work by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a natural substance that helps maintain mental balance.
Paxil has had a rocky history: Some 5,000 lawsuits have been filed against GlaxoSmithKline for the damage caused by Paxil. In 2004 GSK settled a consumer fraud lawsuit accusing it of deliberately and systematically suppressing unfavorable research results. In 2005 GSK was accused of suppressing data regarding Paxil’s effect on suicidal tendencies. But the amounts paid by GSK to settle these lawsuits was a drop in the bucket compared to the $1billion in sales generated by Paxil in 2007 alone.
Dangerous Side Effects
Paxil is a potent drug with a long list of side effects, ranging from headaches to increased suicidal inclinations to birth defects. The drug’s addictive nature, which results in extreme withdrawal symptoms, is especially concerning—it prevents people from being able to stop taking the drug, even when they are experiencing dangerous side effects.
GSK has run into heavy criticism and lawsuits for its endorsement of Paxil as a “non-habit forming” drug, when evidence not only shows the contrary but also that GSK was well aware that the drug caused severe withdrawal symptoms.
The birth defects caused by Paxil are especially troubling. Heart and lung defects are often life threatening and require expensive surgery to repair.
Need for a Lawyer
The withdrawal symptoms make it extremely difficult to stop taking Paxil, even when it’s necessary to do so, as it is for pregnant women. Studies have shown an increased risk of congenital heart defects in babies born to women taking Paxil. Babies born to women taking Paxil during pregnancy were 1.5 to 1.7 times more likely to develop heart defects. Another dangerous birth defect caused by Paxil is persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN), a serious and life-threatening lung condition that occurs soon after birth. These defects can be life threatening. While some correct themselves, many require expensive corrective surgery.
Doctors need to exercise extreme caution in treating depression in women who are pregnant or may become pregnant. They must carefully weigh the risks of birth defects presented by Paxil against the benefit to the mother, especially if there are less dangerous alternatives. For women already on Paxil who become pregnant, extreme caution must be taken in stopping the medication—those women were five times more likely to have a recurrence of depression.
Due to these often deadly and expensive side effects, consulting and retaining a lawyer is your best chance to get compensation for birth defects caused by Paxil.
Call Today for a Free Legal Consultation
If you or your child has suffered from the effects of Paxil related birth defects, submit this simple secure form for a free and confidential evaluation to learn more about your eligibility to file a Paxil heart birth defect lawsuit. Legal action is the best way to recover the most compensation for your medical expenses and pain and suffering.