Could taking Paxil make someone commit suicide?

Our Blog,personal injury | July 21, 2017

Paxil is a medication that doctors prescribe to treat a host of psychological conditions. Doctors long respected Paxil as a safe medication to treat these conditions but mounting evidence supports the idea that Paxil is also highly dangerous. Some believe that Paxil could interfere with the human brain in a way that results in people committing suicide.

Here is what Paxil is often prescribed to treat:

  • Posttraumatic stress disorder;
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder;
  • Panic disorder;
  • Social anxiety disorder;
  • Generalized anxiety disorder;
  • Depression; and
  • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Nevertheless, when the above patients take Paxil, it may also increase their risk of committing suicide. Since 2004, the FDA has required the manufacturers of Paxil and other antidepressants to label their drugs with the warning that taking them comes with an increased risk of the patient committing suicide and thinking suicidal thoughts. The maker of Paxil, GlaxoSmithKline, now includes this kind of labeling on the drug.

In June 2005, the FDA reported that multiple scientific journals reported that antidepressants like Paxil can cause increased suicidality. As such, the FDA warned that doctors should monitor anyone taking Paxil for signs of increased depression and/or suicidality. GlaxoSmithKline has also reported that there does appear to be a relationship between taking Paxil and suicidality — especially in younger adults under the age of 30.

Do you believe that you or a loved one was seriously harmed by Paxil or another dangerous pharmaceutical drug? A California personal injury lawyer familiar with pharmaceutical drug litigation can assist in evaluating whether you may have the ability to pursue a wrongful death or personal injury claim.

Source: FindLaw, “Paxil,” accessed July 21, 2017