Glaxo Hid Suicide Data In Paxil Studies

That's the angle the New Scientist takes on recently released court documents from a lawsuit against Paxil's maker, GSK.

"An analysis of internal GSK memos and reports, which were released to US lawyers seeking damages, suggests that the company had trial data demonstrating an eightfold increase in suicide risk as early as 1989. Harvard University psychiatrist Joseph Glenmullen, who studied the papers for the lawyers, says it's 'virtually impossible' that GSK simply misunderstood the data - a claim the company describes as 'absolutely false.'

"Glenmullen's report rests on documents obtained by lawyers in Los Angeles, who are bringing around 30 cases against GSK linking suicides and suicide attempts to the use of Paxil. The report was under seal at a district court in Sacramento, California, until 18 January, when the judge agreed to make parts of it public."

GSK did not alert the public about increased suicidality around the drug's use until 2006. You can read the rest of the article to see what trickery GSK was allegedly up to. You can also click on a link there and view the court documents.

It'll be interesting to see how this trial plays out. I congratulate the judge for making the documents public. More judges need to follow his or her example.

Most readers know that I had some nasty experiences on Paxil in 1994, ones that were so unacceptable to me that I told my doctor that I was coming off the drug with or without his approval. It was the first time I'd stood up for myself that way with a doc. One of those things in life that you have to do.

I am so weary of pharma companies hiding data from anti-depressant studies that there's very little I can say that would not come off as deeply bitter and angry concering this news. I don't feel like going there today. But I welcome your thoughts.

Much credit to Pharmalot for having this up first.