Paxil®

Paxil® (generic name: paroxetine) is prescribed to millions of people each year as a treatment for:

• major depression
• obsessive-compulsive disorder
• panic disorder
• social anxiety
• posttraumatic stress disorder
• generalized anxiety disorder

Unfortunately, Paxil® has a long and troubled history that includes a link to birth defects when taken during pregnancy. For example, in 2005, the FDA noted that Paxil® use was linked to twice as many major birth defects compared to similar SSRI antidepressants.

Risk for Birth Defects

The FDA made the maker of Paxil®, Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK), strengthen the warning about the risk of birth defects on Paxil®'s package insert, but unfortunately many women are not fully advised about the potential risks for birth defects when they are given a Paxil® prescription.

Paxil is in the FDA's Pregnancy Category "D," which means: "There is positive evidence of human fetal risk based on adverse reaction data from investigational or marketing experience or studies in humans, but potential benefits may warrant use of the drug in pregnant women despite potential risks."

Types of Birth Defects Associated with Paxil®

The types of birth defects that have been associated with Paxil® include (but aren't limited to):

• atrial and ventricular septal defects (i.e., holes in the walls of the chambers of the heart)
• malformations in systems related to the lungs, head, and abdominal wall
• peripheral arterial disease (PAD)
• persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN)

SSRI antidepressants, as a class, have been accused of increasing the risk for a number of birth defects, including:

• Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)
• Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)
• Heart Valve Defects
• Pulmonary Atresia (pulmonary valve defect)
• Pulmonary Stenosis (pulmonary valve disorder)
• Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)
• Transposition of Great Arteries
• Coarctation of the Aorta (CoA)
• Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)
• Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN)
• Anal Atresia (anus or rectum malformation/defect)
• Omphalocele (abdominal wall defect)
• Craniosynostosis (skull defect)
• Club Foot
• Spina Bifida/Neural Tube Defects

Contact a Birth Defect Lawyer

A birth defect can cause lifelong disability and suffering for a child, and heartache for his or her family. The medical costs can wipe out a family's finances. The attorneys of the Flood Law Group are aware of the troubles borne by the parents of children with birth defects, and they stand ready to help.

If you took Paxil® or another type of SSRI during your pregnancy and your child is diagnosed with one or more birth defects, the Paxil® attorneys at Flood Law Group would like to help you. For more information, please contact us today.