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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by djmmm on November 19, 2007, at 6:45:09
Anti-Depressant SSRI Victims Sue Pharma Giant
Sufferers sue 'happy pill' firm for £30million
By MARTIN DELGADO - More by this author » Last updated at 00:24am on 18th November 2007
Pharmaceutical giant Glaxo-SmithKline is facing a £30million damages claim from users of its anti-depressant Seroxat.
Lawyers representing patients who insist the bestselling drug is addictive have issued the first of 600 High Court writs against the company, each seeking compensation of up to £50,000.
Since first prescribed in Britain in 1990, Seroxat has been linked to at least 50 suicides of adults and children.
GSK, which makes up to £1billion a year from the drug, is already embroiled in lawsuits with American users, and has been accused of failing to act on warnings that it could have serious side-effects, including mood swings and personality changes.
Expert advice on how to beat depression...
Mark Harvey, of law firm Hugh James, claims Seroxat is "defective" under the 1987 Consumer Protection Act.
He said: "When patients took the drug, not only was there no warning of withdrawal problems, there was also a statement on the data sheet until about 2003 which said you cannot be addicted to Seroxat.
"Unfortunately many people are havingdifficulties as they try to withdraw from the drug, and there are a few who have not been able to stop taking it."
Earlier this year the BBC's Panorama programme alleged that GSK had covered up fears about Seroxat's safety, which the firm strongly denied.
The drug was banned for under-18s in 2003 amid concerns that it contributed to suicide among adolescents with depression, and adult patients have reported that, when they stop taking it, they feel aggressive, reckless and violent towards themselves.
Four years ago a man arrested for armed robbery was cleared after medical experts concluded that his behaviour could have been altered by severe withdrawal symptoms from Seroxat.
GlaxoSmithKline said: "Seroxat has benefited millions of people worldwide.
"We believe the product is not defective and that there is therefore no merit in this litigation."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=494678&in_page_id=1770
Posted by yxibow on November 19, 2007, at 10:01:30
In reply to Anti-Depressant SSRI Victims Sue Pharma Giant, posted by djmmm on November 19, 2007, at 6:45:09
Paxil has been around for almost two decades, it is one of the the two classic SSRIs (Luvox is actually older but not here). SSRIs are not addictive in plain language by the FDA.
However, Paxil is one of the SSRIs that most definately without a doubt can be harder to get off of if one has trouble with it or wishes to discontinue due to weight gain or other issues despite its greater potential for calming effects in a number of patients as opposed to other SSRIs, partially due to its short half life and frequency of need to take daily dosages.
Its been known for quite a while that antidepressants in minors can in rare circumstances cause rage and other factors.On the other hand some of this is a** protecting between the FDA and the drug companies (neither of whom I speak for).
A study made a laundry list of new language for a whole host of things including antipsychotics with warnings in adolescents:
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01624.html
Tort law isn't a common situation in the UK, and $60 million is a rather large sum for asking (neutral statement).
Posted by Phillipa on November 19, 2007, at 12:47:36
In reply to Re: Anti-Depressant SSRI Victims Sue Pharma Giant » djmmm, posted by yxibow on November 19, 2007, at 10:01:30
I thought seroxat was prozac and zyprexa? Love Phillipa
Posted by kaleidoscope on November 19, 2007, at 14:02:03
In reply to Re: Anti-Depressant SSRI Victims Sue Pharma Giant » yxibow, posted by Phillipa on November 19, 2007, at 12:47:36
No PJ, Seroxat is a brand name for paroxetine. The brand name in the US is Paxil.
Prozac + Zyprexa is called Symbyax.
Posted by cumulative on November 19, 2007, at 15:14:56
In reply to Re: Anti-Depressant SSRI Victims Sue Pharma Giant » djmmm, posted by yxibow on November 19, 2007, at 10:01:30
>SSRIs are not addictive in plain language by the FDA.
Yeah right. The FDA is making a spurious claim to protect their corporate masters. By any reasonable application of the terminology, SSRIs are addictive drugs.
Posted by linkadge on November 19, 2007, at 15:19:02
In reply to Re: Anti-Depressant SSRI Victims Sue Phar ))yxibow, posted by cumulative on November 19, 2007, at 15:14:56
I agree that SSRI's can be addictive. You can grow tollerant, there can be withdrawl.
Craving?, well thats a little tricky. I mean I crave nicotine in so much as I want to lesson withdrawl, so yes I could say I crave an SSRI in that I would really like to pop one when I am going through withdrawl.
Some people even get high on SSRI's so...
Linkadge
Posted by Phillipa on November 19, 2007, at 19:32:36
In reply to Re: Anti-Depressant SSRI Victims Sue Pharma Giant » Phillipa, posted by kaleidoscope on November 19, 2007, at 14:02:03
K thanks for straightening me out on that. Love PJ O
Posted by seldomseen on November 19, 2007, at 20:01:16
In reply to Anti-Depressant SSRI Victims Sue Pharma Giant, posted by djmmm on November 19, 2007, at 6:45:09
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse:
"drug addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking"
Not sure if SSRI use meets that characterization.
Posted by linkadge on November 19, 2007, at 20:29:21
In reply to What is addiction?, posted by seldomseen on November 19, 2007, at 20:01:16
>"drug addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease >characterized by compulsive drug seeking"
>Not sure if SSRI use meets that characterization.
Well, when a steady supply of a drug is provided by a doctor, one needn't seek it out.
If you, all of a sudden abruptly halted america's supply of SSRI's, it would be interesting to see what people might do to get the next dose.
Also, those who cannot quit paxil or other SSRI's for that matter, are compelled to take them regularly. They therefore do take it compulsivly. Ie, they are compelled to take the drug to avoid withdrawl symptoms.
Getting off of SSRI's can be chronic and relapsing too. It took me like 10 attempts to get off an SSRI before I could quit for longer than a month. And here I am, back at this site, wanting to get back on one.
Linkadge
Posted by yxibow on November 20, 2007, at 0:37:25
In reply to Re: What is addiction? » seldomseen, posted by linkadge on November 19, 2007, at 20:29:21
> >"drug addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease >characterized by compulsive drug seeking"
>
> >Not sure if SSRI use meets that characterization.
>
> Well, when a steady supply of a drug is provided by a doctor, one needn't seek it out.
>
> If you, all of a sudden abruptly halted america's supply of SSRI's, it would be interesting to see what people might do to get the next dose.
>
> Also, those who cannot quit paxil or other SSRI's for that matter, are compelled to take them regularly. They therefore do take it compulsivly. Ie, they are compelled to take the drug to avoid withdrawl symptoms.
>
> Getting off of SSRI's can be chronic and relapsing too. It took me like 10 attempts to get off an SSRI before I could quit for longer than a month. And here I am, back at this site, wanting to get back on one.
>
> LinkadgeWell often you don't realize what a biochemical imbalance one has until you go off a SSRI, its a common experience. Some like Paxil are very hard to get off of, Prozac isn't nearly as hard because of its long half life.
You could say all drugs that are palleatives are "addicting" because they make us feel better. Most medications are palleatives, they aren't cures. Maybe the 21st century will see genetic therapy for mental illness if we have a positive climate for research. Only a few drugs are "cures" such as antibiotics and the people who manage to go without relapses with cancer treatments.
Posted by cumulative on November 23, 2007, at 16:45:27
In reply to What is addiction?, posted by seldomseen on November 19, 2007, at 20:01:16
Seriously. SSRIs would only be addictive if they actually made you feel good?
Posted by linkadge on November 23, 2007, at 21:21:39
In reply to Re: What is addiction? A flawed term., posted by cumulative on November 23, 2007, at 16:45:27
Thats a very good point. :)
Linkadge
This is the end of the thread.
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