Let's hope they can succeed where the UK failed.

A prosecution is what is needed here. People need to be named and shamed. Our MHRA wrapped the 'suspects' up in cotton wool... I think Grassley is made of sterner stuff.

Fid

I hope to see the Paxil documents here alongside the Zyprexa documents one day. (just my opinion)

The DOJ seems to be in a prosecuting mood these days which is excellent. If only I could see some pshrinks weeping uncontrollably (clinical term depresion with psychotic episode, nos) as they are hauled into court I think my dysthemia would forever abate. Perhaps the Court should order everyone at Glaxo to take Paxil.

Good Idea, Stephany. Maybe Philip should post the Glenmullen report for starters, the one that was on Pharmalot a day or two ago. It's 134 pages of good stuff.

Heads should roll for this..
But considering the MHRA let them off the hook, I won't hold my breath for Justice in the US, but I am hopeful...

"Perhaps the Court should order everyone at Glaxo to take Paxil."



Oh, one can hope, Sally. Not only should they be ordered to be given Paxil, they should then be forced after a year to go on a cold turkey withdrawal.



AA

Not surprised to read this. A researcher pointed out YEARS ago after Paxil first came out that since it had such a high affinity for the serotonin site (meaning it was so strongly attached to serotonin receptors versus other SSRI meds like Zoloft and Prozac) there could be more problems with it than the other SSRIs. What distanced me from Paxil were two things: the level of weight gain I saw in women, and the high level of sexual dysfunction in men. Plus the reps never could accept any criticism of their product and could be so dismissive of such comments to a point of denial and rudeness that motivated me to say "thank you and goodbye" as a single word.

My take on the suicidal issue with antidepressants as a whole: with 70% of antidepressant scripts being written by NON psychiatrists (ie PCPs/family docs/OBs), these meds were, and still are for the most part, passed out like pez and not monitored the way a mental health care provider is trained to assess and advise. People by in large with legitimate depression should be advised to be in therapy and titrate the meds in a scheduled increase that would minimize side effects and reinforce a multifactorial approach to treatment. As a therapist once shared with me:
Pills don't give you skills; talking gets you back to walking.

But, meds have a role. It would be nice if both physicians and patients would focus on the whole picture. Sadly, it is a quick fix society on a planet that does not share such a limited view globally. Can we relearn? I hope so.