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Weitz & Luxenberg provides resources on Paxil birth defects
Paxil is an SSRI antidepressant drug used to treat conditions such as depression and obsessive compulsive disorder. Although many drugs have minor side effects, studies have shown Paxil to cause a number of unusually debilitating side effects, most notably an elevated the risk of severe birth defects in the children of pregnant women taking the drug.
As part of weitzlux.com’s ongoing commitment to provide the latest information on Paxil’s side-effects, we have put together these helpful resources and statistics. Please, check this page frequently for updates. Those that have been affected by Paxil may have the right to pursue compensation. Contact Weitz & Luxenberg for a free legal consultation on your potential Paxil lawsuit.
Paxil information and Paxil birth defects
Paxil is an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressant. It works by targeting certain neurotransmitters and affecting their ability to connect with receptors in the brain. The medical community agrees that depression and some other neurological conditions are caused by chemical imbalances of these neurotransmitters, and Paxil and other SSRIs have been shown to help. Paxil is a strong, effective SSRI made up of components including two other drugs, Zoloft and Prozac.
But the devastating potential risks associated with Paxil have been known for years. In 2005, people from all over the United States and Canada gathered outside the GlaxoSmithKline U.S. headquarters in Philadelphia to protest Paxil. Protesters included victims of the drug’s side effects and families of those who suffered birth defects. The protestors claimed that GlaxoSmithKline, Paxil’s manufacturer, should be held accountable for continuing to make such a drug with such dangerous health risks.
Statistics on Paxil birth defects
While birth defects are generally very rare in the United States, one study from 2005 suggests that using Paxil in the first trimester of pregnancy may double the risk of the most serious birth defects. The study found instances of many birth defects, the most severe of which were heart-related. One such condition is ventricular septal malformation, a defect where holes develop in the wall that separates the two main pumping chambers of the heart. Another condition linked to Paxil, omphalocoele, causes internal organs like the intestines and kidney to form in an abdominal sac that remains outside the body.
The numbers on Paxil’s risks are murky, and range up to fairly high levels. Early studies showed that fetuses of pregnant women taking Paxil were 1.5 to 2 percent more likely to develop birth defects. But recent data suggests the risk may be higher than that. This percentage reflects the increased risk Paxil users face compared not only to the general population, but compared to users of other antidepressants as well. In response to these findings, GlaxoSmithKline has relabeled Paxil from a Class C drug to a Class D drug, conceding that Paxil presents a palpable risk to the fetus.
Resources for people affected by Paxil birth defects
These conditions can be deadly to the baby suffering from them and costly to parents.
Paxil victims and their families are entitled to compensation for losses caused by the dangerous side-effects of Paxil. Those that suffer long-term effects from taking Paxil have every right to take legal action against GlaxoSmithKline. The experienced attorneys at Weitz & Luxenberg can assist you in these cases.
Please use any of our informational resources to gather the facts you need, and please get in touch with us with any questions or to ask about your legal options.
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