Paxil Lawsuits | Paxil Birth Defect Lawsuits

Paxil Lawsuits | Paxil Birth Defects Lawsuits | Paxil Side-Effects | Paxil Side-Effects Lawsuits | Paxil Birth Defects | Paxil Birth Defects Lawsuits

Paxil (paroxetine) is among the most well-known antidepressants used to prevent the harmful consequences of untreated depression and other mood disorders. However, warnings have been issued against taking Paxil and other antidepressants during pregnancy due to the serious or fatal injuries these medications can cause newborns.

The attorneys at Southern Med Law are investigating Paxil drug injury claims and Paxil birth defects claims. The staff at Southern Med Law is not only trained in successfully handling your legal needs but also understand the pain and suffering and treatment from a medical point of view. To learn more about filing a Paxil lawsuit, please call us today for a free, no-obligation case review.

Paxil Side-Effects And Birth Defects

Paxil (paroxetine) is part of a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) used to treat depression and other mood disorders. SSRI antidepressants increase the level of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that regulates emotional well-being and impulse control. SSRIs have the potential to cause birth defects in newborns whose mothers took antidepressant medications during pregnancy.

Paxil is manufactured by London-based GlaxoSmithKline and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1992 to treat major depressive disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder. The FDA required a black-box warning, the regulatory agency’s most strongest warning, on SSRI medications, including Paxil, stating that antidepressants increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior in children, adolescents, and young adults.

Paxil and other antidepressants carry similar side-effects that include:

• Anxiety
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Dry mouth
• Headache
• Insomnia
• Weakness
• Weight changes

In 2006, the FDA warned of the potential risk of SSRIs to cause persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns (PPHN), a serious lung disorder, based on a study published in the February 2006 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The study found that women who used antidepressants after the 20th week of pregnancy were six times more likely to have babies born with PPHN.

A study, published in September 2009 in the British Medical Journal, found that SSRIs like Paxil, increase the risk of heart defects when the antidepressant is taken during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Paxil Birth Injury Lawsuits

GlaxoSmithKline has been defending itself for years against families who claim that Paxil antidepressant medication causes birth injuries due to women taking the drug during pregnancy. Plaintiffs argue in their lawsuits that GlaxoSmithKline failed to adequately warn women and their doctors about the risks of serious and fatal birth defects associated with antidepressant medication. The Paxil complaints contend that women would not have taken Paxil during pregnancy had they been informed about the dangerous side-effects. Potential Paxil birth defects include:

• Autism
• Anencephaly
• Cleft lip and palate defects
• Club foot
• Congenital heart defects
• Neural tube defects
• Respiratory distress
• Spina Bifida

Paxil lawsuits have been taken to trial, including one case in which a Pennsylvania state court jury in 2009 ordered GlaxoSmithKline to pay $2.5 million to a plaintiff who claimed that her child was born with heart defects as a result of her use of Paxil during pregnancy. In July 2010, GlaxoSmithKline announced that the company set aside nearly $2.4 billion to confidentially settle Paxil birth injury lawsuits.

Paxil Litigation And Settlements

A multidistrict litigation (MDL) was established for all federally filed Paxil lawsuits in 2003. The company however, eventually reached an agreement to settle about 3,200 cases in the MDL for an average of $50,000 per case.

In July 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced an unprecedented settlement with GlaxoSmithKline to resolve what the DOJ called the largest settlement of health care fraud in U.S. history and the largest payment ever by a drug company. GlaxoSmithKline agreed to pay $3 billion and plead guilty to charges of unlawfully promoting certain prescription drugs, including Paxil, and failing to report certain safety data. The company was also criminally charged with unlawful promotion of Paxil for treating depression in children under 18, a use that was not approved by the FDA. The DOJ also leveled a civil charge for false price reporting practices.

GlaxoSmithKline was also accused by more than 40 state attorney generals of illegally marketing its antidepressant medications Paxil and Wellbutrin and its Advair asthma drug. In June 2014, GlaxoSmithKline agreed to pay $105 million to settle claims brought against the company by the state officials.

Free Legal Consultations By Southern Med Law

Throughout his career, Dr. Blaudeau has worked hard to develop a strong reputation in healthcare litigation. His first-hand knowledge of medicine has made the Southern Institute for Medical and Legal Affairs an aggressive and effective advocate for those who were harmed due to dangerous and defective drugs. If you or someone you love have experienced serious or fatal Paxil side-effects, or your newborn has suffered birth defects as a result of Paxil use during pregnancy, please contact us today to learn more about your legal rights. You can arrange for a free, no obligation Paxil lawsuit review by filling out our online form, or by calling the office directly at 205-547-5525.