Missouri judge to approve Paxil settlement

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The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that a judge said yesterday that he plans to approve a $64 million class-action settlement between Paxil manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline and parents whose children took the drug for depression.

The news story reports:

Paxil was once touted as an answer to teen depression. It was later thought to have increased the risk of suicidal thinking in young people, some of whom ultimately killed themselves. In 2004, public outcry pushed the Food and Drug Administration to call for tougher warnings on antidepressants.

Sales of Paxil specifically for minors totaled more than $500 million, according to GlaxoSmithKline's lawyers, and the corporation has repeatedly been sued for not revealing all that it knew about the drug.

Apparently, this settlement will cover consumer costs only, but parents of teens who committed suicide are still free to sue the company.

If you or someone you know has suffered injury or birth defects while taking Paxil, it may be in your best interest to consult an attorney about your legal rights.