Birth Defects Brought About Paxil Consumption May Lead To Legal Proceedings

Early in the 90’s GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) brought the antidepressant drug Paxil to the market. Every year, the pharmaceutical company would earn more or less $1 billion from the sales of this medicine alone becoming one of its bestselling drugs in the US. Unfortunately, at recent time, the stalwart esteem of the maker and the drug is weakened by the many controversies particularly the aggravated risk of congenital defects linked with the use of drug during pregnancy. 

Also recognized by its generic name paroxetine hydrochloride, Paxil used to be classified as Pregnancy Category C by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Yet, the FDA quickly changed its classification to a Category D after data testifying positive fetal risk are gathered from human studies – one instance is the particular connection between Paxil and heart defects in babies. Having said that, Paxil should only be given to pregnant patients if benefits of the drug justify the associate risk. 

Many other congenital defects have been soldered to the intake of Paxil during pregnancy especially on the first trimester. Among of the most common is PPHN or the persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn which is a unusual although life-threatening congenital malformation drawing in multiple organ failure. Other notable types are septal heart defects, a condition where there are holes on the walls dividing the heart chambers, and right ventricular outflow tract defects, a condition that prevents efficient blood flow to the lungs. 

For the past 2 decades Paxil and GSK have been involved with several controversies and legal matters. On the summer of 2010, the New York Times reported that GSK took a $2.36 billion charge for product liabilities relating to its drugs which includes Paxil. Furthermore, GSK asserted that it had resolved “the vast majority of product liability cases” that involves Paxil. 

The FDA has given the advice to health care practitioners not to order Paxil to women who are expecting mothers on their first three months of pregnancy or to those who are planning to become pregnant unless other treatment choices are less appropriate. Health care professionals need to carefully assess the condition of the patient. The choice of appropriate drug is so decisive since it may give way for a life-threatening condition to develop on the developing fetus in the mother.