Lawsuit Charges That Paxil is Addictive

A Los Angeles law firm announced on Friday the filing of a lawsuit against GlaxoSmithKline Plc., the maker of the antidepressant Paxil (paroxetine), charging that the drug causes severe withdrawal reactions.

Neither the patients nor physicians expected these withdrawal reactions because, according to the complaint, Britain's Glaxo has deliberately failed to warn of the drug's addictive traits.

Paxil was introduced in the US in 1992 and is approved for treatment of depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder and social anxiety disorder.

The drug has been at the center of legal trouble for Glaxo before. Earlier this summer, a Wyoming jury awarded $6.4 million to the family of a Paxil patient who murdered his wife, daughter and granddaughter and then committed suicide in what the family said was a reaction to the drug. Glaxo said it would appeal the verdict.

The firm of Baum, Hedlund, Aristei, Guilford and Schiavo said it filed a class action complaint on behalf of 35 people who have allegedly suffered from withdrawal reactions such as dizziness and nausea.

This group represents thousands of Paxil users who have allegedly suffered from withdrawal reactions and dependency/withdrawal syndrome. They come from all walks of life (e.g., Lt. Col in the U.S. Air Force; former star athlete; web-designer; children; bank fraud investigator and many more) and reside throughout the United States. Each has experienced similar withdrawal reactions and problems such as:

jolting electric "zaps," dizziness, light-headedness, vertigo, in-coordination, gait disturbances, sweating, extreme nausea, vomiting, high fever, abdominal discomfort, flu symptoms, anorexia, diarrhea, agitation, tremulousness, irritability, aggression, sleep disturbance, nightmares, tremor, confusion, memory and concentration difficulties, lethargy, malaise, weakness, fatigue, paraesthesias, ataxia, and/or myalgia.

Paxil was introduced into the US market on December 29, 1992, and is a well known antidepressant medication in the same class as Zoloft and Prozac (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or "SSRI's"). Paxil is approved for marketing in the United States for conditions such as depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and "social anxiety disorder."

Complaint Allegations:

1) The complaint alleges 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, according to the complaint, the manufacturer has deliberately failed to warn of their potential occurrence.

Both physician and patient unwittingly commit to Paxil without knowing the drug's addictive traits. None of the named plaintiffs were ever informed before starting Paxil that it was addictive, induced dependency, or created withdrawal reactions when dosage was reduced or terminated.

2) Paxil creates both physical and psychological dependency because GSK has suppressed the 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), thus prompting further incorrect and unnecessary medical treatment, including increased dosages of Paxil.

3) GSK has known for years the distinct characteristics of Paxil which make it prone to cause withdrawal reactions when discontinued. While the medical community has acknowledged the potential for all SSRI's to cause dependency/withdrawal syndrome, Paxil is, by far, the worst.

According to World Health Organization ("WHO") data obtained by the plaintiff class members, Paxil has the highest incidence rate of withdrawal adverse experiences of any antidepressant drug in the world. "Even despite our clients' extreme difficulties caused by this drug, some remain on Paxil today because they are "hooked" and fear they cannot get off the drug," says attorney Mary Schiavo.

The complaint charges include fraud and deceit, negligence, strict liability, breach of warranty and implied warranty which can be seen on the complaint.

Baum, Hedlund, Aristei, Guilford & Schiavo
12100 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 950
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Contact: Robin McCall, Media Relations
Day: (800) 827-0087 or (310) 207-3233
Email: RMcCall@BaumHedlundLaw.com
Web: www.baumhedlundlaw.com

Baum, Hedlund, Aristei, Guilford & Schiavo August 24, 2001

DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT:

In the late 80s when it first came out, I was one of the leading doctors in the Chicago area using this drug. It seemed like every other patient I put on Prozac. Prozac was the first SSRI that came on the market and is very similar to Paxil.

It clearly was an effective treatment for many and certainly far better than the previously available first generation antidepressants. The reason I used it for so many people, is that the vast majority of people who visit physicians do have some unresolved psychoemotional conflict or trauma as a major component of their illness.

However, now I am VERY excited about Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). Clinicians who currently employ this technique are also listed on the site.

EFT was put together by Gary Craig and is a derivative of Thought Field Therapy that was developed by Roger Callahan. TFT was my first introduction into energy medicine and I learned that in 1998.

However, I really enjoy EFT as it is much more streamlined and seems to achieve fabulous results by balancing one's energy meridians while saying positive affirmations about the addiction in question.

I will likely be going into far greater detail in the future, but for those who are interested now, Gary Craig's web site is www.emofree.com. There is a free 80 page manual one can download from this site that goes into greater details about the technique.

I use a derivative of the technique that is presented in the manual that I learned from purchasing all the videos that Gary offers on the site. It is much more streamlined and seems to work even better.

Gary has over 60 hours of videos from his previous workshops that collectively can be purchased for around $400. I believe that it is one of the best values in health care education on the market. He also provides a full money back guarantee.

These techniques work so well that next year I will publish my first book and it will be on the use of EFT in depression. Since I have learned the technique, I have been able to successfully reverse many cases of depression.

I used to use antidepressants 5-10 times per year on my pateints, but with EFT under my belt, I seriously doubt that I will ever need to use antidepressants again.

This is incredibly exciting, as depression is one of the most devastating and common diseases on the planet. It exacts a toll far more significant in pain and suffering that just about any other disease.

If you are struggling with depression, one of the best things you could do would be to find a qualified EFT practitioner and once you are feeling better start following my eating plan. EFT can also be used for any food addiction problems such as sugar or bread.

Related Articles:

Prozac Backlash : Overcoming the Dangers of Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and Other Antidepressants with Safe, Effective Alternatives

Antidepressants (SSRIs) May Increase Breast Cancer Risk

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