Paxil is an SSRI (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) or “antidepressant” drug prescribed to patients living with depression, anxiety and personality disorders. Paxil is one particular brand name for the drug paroxetine. Out of all the SSRIs, Paxil and other paroxetine drugs are known for being some of the most potent.
Paxil first entered the medical market in 1992 and by 2007 it was the fifth most commonly prescribed SSRI in the nation. Many people who took Paxil experienced side effects much more severe than they were warned about. If you took Paxil and experienced a severe side effect, you may be entitled to take legal action. Lawyers at The Carlson Law Firm are here to help.
Many people who took the SSRI Paxil experience serious side effects. While the warning label on the drug states that the most common symptoms are things like nausea, insomnia, headache, irritability, etc. some who took the drug experienced side effects that are much worse. Two of the most serious side effects include risk of birth defects in pregnant women and suicide or severe suicidal thoughts.
Doctors should avoid prescribing Paxil to pregnant women as the drug has been linked to serious birth defects. Women who took Paxil during pregnancy may give birth to children who suffer from:
Women who took Paxil during pregnancy may learn that their unborn children are suffering from potentially life-threatening conditions like:
Some women may be at risk for miscarriage of the child or giving birth prematurely. While GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has not been forced to recall Paxil, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued strong warnings about the drug and even required that GSK change the risk grade from C to D for pregnant women specifically (the lower the grade the less safe it is).
The FDA also required GSK to add something called a black box warning for Paxil. A black box warning is always issued by the FDA when they have reason to believe that a certain prescription or non-prescription drug is life-threatening. The FDA has no stronger warning than a black box warning. The next step would be for the FDA to force GSK to recall the drug completely. The black box warning for Paxil was issued in 2004 because officials from the FDA, after various studies and analysis, determined that Paxil increases the risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts in children and young adults.
Thousands of people have already filed lawsuits against GSK, the makers of Paxil, for serious side effects such as birth defects, suicide, seizures and more. If you or someone you love currently takes Paxil or used to take Paxil and suffered from one or more of the serious side effects mentioned above, then you may be entitled to financial compensation. Discuss your case with an attorney at The Carlson Law Firm to learn more about your rights if you took Paxil.