Paxil Statistics

The statistics surrounding the use of Paxil make it one of the most successful antidepressant drugs of all time.  There has also been substantial controversy, however, surrounding the drug and its maker, GlaxoSmithKline. 

Experts estimate that up to 10 percent of people in the United States have taken antidepressants.  Since being approved by the FDA in 1992, Paxil has been taken by more than 100 million people, with over 19.7 million prescriptions filled in 2007 alone. Between 1997 and 2006, GlaxoSmithKline had $11.7 billion in sales of Paxil just in the United States.  

GlaxoSmithKline is ranked as the second largest pharmaceutical company in the world in total revenue with an average of over $40 billion per year in sales and $15 billion in profits.  The company claims it employs more than 90,000 people around the world.

The company has also been no stranger to controversy.  In just the past ten years, GlaxoSmithKline has defended charges of intimidating research doctors, committing fraud on the U.S. government and participating in animal rights violations.

Despite tremendous sales of Paxil, GlaxoSmithKline has also faced more than 5,000 lawsuits by patients alleging they were damaged by the severe side effects of the drug.  These lawsuits involve claims for failure to warn of the drug’s side effects and addictive properties, injuries or loss by families of people who have committed suicide or exhibited violent behavior, as well as parents who have given birth to infants with heart defects.

If you are taking or have taken Paxil in the past and believe the drug has caused side effects such as birth defects, suicidal or violent behavior, or severe withdrawals, contact us today to discuss your legal rights.  Time is limited to file a lawsuit.

Legal experts estimate that GlaxoSmithKline has paid nearly $1 billion to resolve lawsuits over the side effects that may have been caused by Paxil.  These include cases filed for the suicide, attempted suicide or addiction of someone taking the drug, and heart defects in infants of parents who have taken the drug in the past.

According to Bloomberg, Glaxo has paid an average of $1.2 million per case for birth defects, $2 million for suicide cases, $300,000 for attempted suicide cases and $50,000 for lawsuits involving dependency or addiction.

If you or someone you love has been affected by a serious side effect of Paxil, Contact us today to speak with an attorney.  We are available 24 hours a day to answer your questions, discuss your legal options and whether you may have a case for your damages.