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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dysfunk on April 10, 2003, at 12:24:15
In the April 2003 issue of Glamour magazine is a story of a woman who struggled with withdrawals from Paxil. She is holding the drug company responsible for not making the information known.
Posted by Larry Hoover on April 10, 2003, at 12:42:13
In reply to Paxil withdrawal article and lawsuit, posted by Dysfunk on April 10, 2003, at 12:24:15
> In the April 2003 issue of Glamour magazine is a story of a woman who struggled with withdrawals from Paxil. She is holding the drug company responsible for not making the information known.
I've got a real problem with this sort of lawsuit.
Did someone hold a gun to her head, forcing her to take the meds against her will? Or was she seeking treatment for a condition that was sufficiently disruptive in her life that she was motivated to seek intervention?
Clinical trials of medication, psychoactive meds included, do not include monitoring of withdrawal. Adverse events associated with withdrawal have been observed with e.g. Paxil, and warnings to that effect are beginning to appear on the information leaflet supplied to patients. Strategies to minimize these adverse events are as well known as the withdrawal symptoms themselves. The quality of medical supervision may be questionable in such a case, but how does this become the drug company's liability? I mean, other than that they are perceived to be be wealthy?
It wouldn't play well in the court of public opinion, but maybe the drug company should counter-sue, alleging the patient failed to take responsibility for her own care. Caveat emptor.
Lar
Posted by daizy on April 10, 2003, at 13:01:54
In reply to Re: Paxil withdrawal article and lawsuit, posted by Larry Hoover on April 10, 2003, at 12:42:13
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/programmes/panorama/transcripts/seroxat.txt
I remembered watching this documentry, it was very interesting!
Posted by daizy on April 10, 2003, at 13:05:51
In reply to Re: Paxil withdrawal article and lawsuit, posted by daizy on April 10, 2003, at 13:01:54
Is Seroxat the same as Paxil, just a different name? oops I hope so! hehe
Posted by jack smith on April 10, 2003, at 15:17:56
In reply to Re: Paxil withdrawal article and lawsuit, posted by Larry Hoover on April 10, 2003, at 12:42:13
> I've got a real problem with this sort of lawsuit.
>
> Did someone hold a gun to her head, forcing her to take the meds against her will? Or was she seeking treatment for a condition that was sufficiently disruptive in her life that she was motivated to seek intervention?
>I AGREE!!! People seem to forget how bad they were before they were taking meds. Moreover, if her doctor failed to warn her of withdrawls then the doctor should be sued not the drug companies--especially if the doctor did not know how easy it is to minimize w/d's from Paxil, i.e. low dose prozac. Moreover, I wonder if she followed the directions in the package insert to slowly taper down, probably not.
These types of lawsuits just take time and money away from legitimate research and discourage drug companies from developing new AD meds.
Posted by Dysfunk on April 11, 2003, at 19:21:53
In reply to Re: Paxil withdrawal article and lawsuit, posted by Larry Hoover on April 10, 2003, at 12:42:13
I agree with you, but we should at least know what we are getting into and how incapacitating some side effects or withdrawal can be. I think the outcome of the case was that the commercials add "ask your doctor to see if it is right for you" to the end.
Posted by cubbybear on April 12, 2003, at 5:11:58
In reply to Re: Paxil withdrawal article and lawsuit » Larry Hoover, posted by Dysfunk on April 11, 2003, at 19:21:53
I fully DISAGREE!! The withdrawal symptoms from Paxil (which I've only read about) are unlike anything ever encountered in any anti-depressant. God knows how many thousands of people are suffering because they simply CAN'T QUIT this drug.
At first, the doctors weren't even familiar with the withdrawal problems, and GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturer, appeared to do everything it could to evade responsibility for not alerting patients in a fair manner. (Try reading "Prozac Backlash" by Dr. Joseph Glenmullen for more horror stories.)
By way of analogy--this is not an issue like "to smoke or not to smoke," in which people who have lung cancer are suing the tobacco companies, when it was the patient himself who made the free decision to smoke.
In the case of Paxil, it's about people who were greatly suffering in the first place, and consulted a trusted physician who recommended a product to eliminate the suffering. It's not a simple matter of free choice. It's a matter of corporate and physician responsibility.
Posted by Dr. Bob on April 14, 2003, at 18:36:06
In reply to Re: Paxil withdrawal article and lawsuit, posted by cubbybear on April 12, 2003, at 5:11:58
> Try reading "Prozac Backlash" by Dr. Joseph Glenmullen for more horror stories.
I'd just like to plug the double double quotes feature at this site:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#amazon
The first time anyone refers to a book without using this option, I post this to try to make sure he or she at least knows about it. It's just an option, though, and doesn't *have* to be used. If people *choose* not to use it, I'd be interested why not, but I'd like that redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20020918/msgs/7717.html
Thanks!
Bob
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