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Paxil Pregnancy Class Action

For certain Canadian residents (other than British Columbia residents) who were prescribed and used Paxil while pregnant and gave birth to a child with physical birth defects, you may have a future opportunity to seek financial compensation due to this class action litigation.

[Please note, our law firm cannot provide any assistance or advice to individuals who live or lived in British Columbia, as a BC class action settlement regarding Paxil pregnancy has already occurred.]

Many of the children harmed by this medication need lifelong care or require major surgeries. They experience pain, humiliation, shame, and suffering. The earning capacity of the mothers are almost always compromised due to a need to take care of their injured child.

A class action settlement has already occurred in British Columbia. GlaxoSmithKline settled that case for $6.2 million, but no provisions were made for all of the other women and children in the rest of Canada who were harmed by this drug. In addition, GlaxoSmithKline refused to admit any liability or wrongdoing. They continued to claim that patient safety is the “highest concern” the company has.

 

The Risks of Paxil Usage

Paxil is prescribed for depression, but there were many other drugs and remedies that can be chosen. And instead of helping women alleviate their depression, they cast those women into a tragedy, harming their children and destroying the lives of mothers and children alike.

Paxil is a Teratogen, a substance which can cause structural malformations and decreased viability in animals and humans.

Before and after GlaxoSmithKline marketed Paxil in Canada, they knew that Paxil was a Teratogen. Numerous studies indicated that Paxil was developmentally toxic. Nevertheless, GlaxoSmithKline continues to claim that the “scientific evidence does not establish a link.” It continues to double down on the idea that it “acted appropriately.”

GlaxoSmithKline received adverse event reports of congenital malformations in children born to women who took Paxil while pregnant. GlaxoSmithKline’s own internal reports identified Paxil as the cause of these malformations. They ignored these reports, as well as reports published in numerous reputable medical and scientific journals.

GlaxoSmithKline failed to warn physicians. They failed to warn patients. This major corporation continued to promote Paxil for uses in patient populations for whom it had not established safety and efficacy, including pregnant women. It actively marketed the drug to pregnant women, and actively claimed that untreated depression, rather than Paxil, caused congenital malformations, and claimed that it was a safer alternative to other, safer antidepressants on the market.

At no time did GlaxoSmithKline contraindicate the use of Paxil during pregnancy.

This case has already been won in the United States and British Columbia. The first case went to trial in 2009. A United States jury awarded $2.5 million to 3-year-old Lyam Kilker, born with severe heart malformations.

 

Why Merchant Law?

We have won dozens of high-profile class action cases, and we fight hard to get compensation for class members who put their trust in us.

Merchant Law Group has 10 offices across Canada, and is well-known for pursuing class action lawsuits in Canada including litigation regarding Winners/HomeSense, GM Gasket Manifolds, Hip Implants, Lead Paint in Toys, Maple Leaf, Celebrex/Bextra, Vioxx, Sony, Residential Schools, and various other cases.

Tony Merchant, Q.C. is known to be one of Canada’s most active litigators with more than 600 reported cases in Case Law Journals, having argued thousands of cases before the Canadian and American courts, in trial and administrative courts, and the Courts of Appeal of various American and Canadian jurisdictions, the Federal Court of Canada, and the Supreme Court of Canada. Tony Merchant, Q.C., has a long history in pursuing public policy cases and is a former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).

Notre cabinet d’avocats poursuit des recours collectif au nom des femmes qui ont pris Paxil pendant leur grossesse, avec le résultat que leurs enfants sont nés avec des malformations physiques. Pour plus d’informations SVP envoyer un courriel (avec vos détails des défauts de naissance physiques de vos enfant(s) pendant que vous prenez Paxil) à nos avocats à  MONTREAL@MERCHANTLAW.COM

POUR LE SERVICE EN FRANÇAIS AU SUJET DE CE RECOURS COLLECTIF (OU D’AUTRES RECOURS POTENTIELS), S.V.P. REMPLIR LE FORMULAIRE CI-DESSOUS OU CONTACTER NOTRE BUREAU DE MONTRÉAL:MONTREAL@MERCHANTLAW.COM

Please note, joining our contact list for the Paxil Class Actions creates no financial obligation for you and your information will be kept confidential.  (If you have previously joined our contact list for the Paxil class actions and your address or other contact information has changed, you may update your contact information on our list by completing the form below. Please note, our firm’s litigation is not seeking compensation for other side effects or withdrawal symptoms people may experience from taking Paxil.)

(Please also note, providing your information creates no financial obligation for you. You are not charged any fee or cost for joining this class action – we are simply paid a contingency fee from the compensation recovered, if successful.)














    Please note: The information provided on this website is Not Legal Advice. The information may or may not be accurate. The information is for discussion purposes only. Reliance upon any information provided would not be grounds to advance a claim against Merchant Law for providing any advice. In order to get a formal legal opinion upon which you may rely about any specific fact scenario, you would have to first retain the services of a lawyer and request a formal legal opinion.