PA Court Affirms Dismissal of Paxil Wrongful Death Suit
A Pennsylvania Superior Court has affirmed a lower court's ruling that GlaxoSmithKline is not responsible for the congenital heart defect that lead Joanne Thomas...
Is Autism a “Deficit” or a Super Sensitivity?
Salon has reprinted an excerpt from a book by University of California cognitive neuroscientist Gregory Hickok, in which Hickok argues that common diagnostic tests...
GSK to Face Lawsuits Over Antidepressant Paxil and Birth Defects
The antidepressant Paxil has been linked to birth defects. "An Ohio federal judge on Wednesday ruled that GlaxoSmithKline must face a product liability suit brought by a woman whose child was born with heart defects after she took the antidepressant Paxil during her pregnancy, ruling that she had successfully pled fraud."
“6 Prescription Drugs That Aren’t as Safe as the Government Claims”
“A quick look at drugs or drug uses that later turned out to be risky shows a disturbing trail of ‘bought’ science in major medical...
“Tylenol in Pregnancy Tied to Behavior Problems in Children”
For the New York Times’ Well blog, Nicholas Bakalar reports on a new study, in JAMA Pediatrics, that found that using acetaminophen (Tylenol) during...
“Antipsychotics During Pregnancy Not Tied to Birth Defects”
The New York Times Well blog reports on a new study, in JAMA Psychiatry, which found that antipsychotic medicines during pregnancy do not increase the...
“Prescription Drugs Lead to Growing Problem of Infant Addiction”
Ten years ago, infants born with drug addictions was associated with street drugs. But the rise of prescription drug addiction in the past ten...
“The Rise and Fall of the Blockbuster Antipsychotic Seroquel”
Martha Rosenberg highlights how the popular antipsychotic Seroquel is a perfect example of how direct-to-consumer advertising made billion dollar blockbuster drugs possible before side-effects...
“Why did Thalidomide’s Makers Ignore Warnings About Their Drug?”
Sociologist Garry Gray examines the institutional pressures and systemic failings that allow unsafe drugs to hit the market. “Research integrity and the institutional structures that support scientific research are key to understanding and eliminating scientific compromises. Without this understanding, we can’t truly progress beyond the 'Grünenthal science' that underscored the thalidomide tragedy.”
Are Drug Companies Grooming New Customers in the Womb?
From The Baltimore Sun: Over time, studies have shown that antidepressants during pregnancy are linked with congenital defects as well as increased incidence of depression...
“New Pill for Boosting Female Libidos Off to a Slow Start”
Ed Silverman reports that only 80 prescriptions for Addyi, or Flibanserin, were filled in the drugs’ first two weeks on the market.
Article →
“Punish People, Not Just Corporations”
Drug makers have faced large fines for unethical and harmful practices but have simply treated these as a cost of doing business. Ed Silverman reports...
Despite Risks, Antidepressant Use among Reproductive Age Women Increases
Accumulating evidence points to serious risks associated with antidepressant use during pregnancy, yet data suggests that prescriptions continue to rise in the US. "Given...
“FDA Forced to Release Adverse Event Reports on Psychiatric Drugs”
Following a lawsuit brought by Andrew Thibault of Parents Against Pharmaceutical Abuse (PAPA), the FDA has produced adverse event and severe adverse event reports...
Moms Reach $6.2-million Settlement in Paxil Lawsuit
From The Province: Mothers alleging that taking Paxil during pregnancy caused heart problems for their children have reached a settlement of $6.2-million with GlaxoSmithKline U.K.
Article...
Antidepressants and Withdrawal: Readers Tell Their Stories
More than 8,000 people responded to the recent New York Times article on antidepressant withdrawal. Here, reporter Benedict Carey describes differences in the way various...
“Woman Wins Epilepsy Drug Warning Fight”
A UK mother has won a three-year battle to have warning labels put on epilepsy drugs which cause birth defects, heart problems, and learning disabilities.
First Federal Zoloft Birth Defect Trial Scheduled
In a bellwether case, plaintiffs allege that Pfizer did not adequately warn patients that Zoloft (sertraline) would cause birth defects. The case is scheduled in Federal Court in March, and the verdict will have significant implications for future suits.
