Paxil Side Effects - Birth Defects Lawsuit News:
Scores of Paxil Birth Defects Cases Settled
-ConsumerAffairs
06/29/2010 - The manufacturer of Paxil has agreed to settlements in nearly 200 individual cases claiming that the antidepressant caused birth defects.
Most of the cases allege that babies born to mothers taking Paxil suffered from heart defects. The leading case, brought on behalf of Lyam Kilker, contended that he was born with no fewer than three cardiac defects, including a hole between the two chambers of his heart that disrupted the aorta.
That case is so far the only one to have gone to trial. Last October, a Philadelphia jury awarded Kilker's family $2.5 million in compensatory damages. At trial, the plaintiffs said that animal testing suggested to manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) that the drug might cause problems, but that the company failed to follow up sufficiently with additional tests.
Cover-up indicated
Even worse, a company memo introduced into evidence talked about covering up any test results that showed a potential danger. "If neg, results can bury," read the memo by GSK executive Bonnie Rossello in 1997, before any tests were conducted.
GSK stood firm in its position after the verdict was handed down.
"While we sympathize with Lyam Kilker and his family, the scientific evidence does not establish that exposure to Paxil during pregnancy caused his condition," the company said in a statement.
Still, the writing was on the wall, at least judging by the company's decision to settle scores of cases less than a year later. The fact that the Kilker jury deliberated for only seven hours before announcing the verdict could not have been comforting for the company either.
On the defensive
The nature of the cases put GSK at a distinct disadvantage as well.
"When you're dealing with children with birth defects that's a concern for any company," attorney Jamie Sheller told Law.com.
In 2005, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned doctors about a study showing that babies born to women who took Paxil during the first trimester of pregnancy had a higher rate of major birth defects. The study, which involved 3,500 pregnant women, showed that those on Paxil were twice as likely to have a child with defects than women on other antidepressants.
In the wake of the study, the FDA put out a statement warning that "[h]ealthcare professionals are advised to carefully weigh the potential risks and benefits of using [Paxil] in women during pregnancy and to discuss these findings as well as treatment alternatives with their patients."
The terms of the settlements are to remain confidential. At least 600 cases have been filed alleging that Paxil is responsible for congenital birth defects, and an attorney for the plaintiffs said that up to 100 other cases have already settled. GSK has also paid approximately $1 billion in settlements of Paxil-related cases not involving birth defects.
Paxil, which was introduced in 1992, generates nearly $3 billion in annual sales. The drug is used to treat a wide variety of psychological maladies, including depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Paxil Birth Defects Lawsuit Information:
If you or a loved one have taken Paxil and have experienced Paxil Side Effects or Paxil birth defects you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the Paxil lawyers of Ennis & Ennis, P.A. today and find out about the possibility of a Paxil Lawsuit.
|
