Why Older Isn't Better
People have an instinctive tendency to trust those things they are familiar with. Acetominophen has been around for nearly 140 years in one form or another. However, its age doesn't actually mean it's particularly safe. Indeed, acetominophen has a very narrow toxicity margin; more than 1,000 mg in a roughly 4-hour period can cause strong liver toxicity. There are warning labels, of course, but the fact remains that it is still a potent, potentially dangerous drug.
This is why continuing efforts to hold the pharmaceutical industry accountable remain so important, particularly in drugs that have been around for a long time such as Paxil. Paxil was introduced in 1993, seventeen years ago. It's a familiar medication, commonly prescribed, and if used as directed can have wonderful benefits — no one is contesting that it has been used successfully.
Yet just as with drugs like Tylenol and aspirin, the potential for harm remains high. Paxil has been linked to birth defects when taken by mothers in authoritative, peer reviewed studies. The link is not "possible," it is a demonstrated phenomenon. In many cases, there may be no side effects whatsoever, but that does not dismiss or invalidate the findings of studies published in such critical press as the British Medical Journal.
Consider that Glaxo — the company that produces Paxil — has paid nearly $1 billion dollars in lawsuits to settle claims related to its drug, according to court records and independent research. Billion is a figure dealt with by large banks, government institutions and other large bodies, yet this represents settlements paid out to individuals and families harmed by this medication.
In short, lawsuits related to drugs like Paxil aren't small matters, and they should not be quietly forgotten simply because of the age of the drugs involved. Indeed, we should look most closely at these long-lasting suits and cases, because they often can provide the greatest basis of evidence and the strongest validation for efforts to protect the injured and the consumer.
