Understanding Paxil Birth Defects

In December 2005, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) posted its Paxil findings on its
website regarding pregnant women taking antidepressants. In this announcement,
GSK noted that it was revising its pregnancy precaution category from C to D.
This revision was based on recent studies that indicated positive evidence of
human fetal risk. In addition, GSK was placing this information in the WARNINGS
section of the Paxil label.

The FDA then advised pregnant women to switch from Paxil to another SSRI
drug, such as Prozac or Zoloft. This warning was based on the results of an
analysis of Sweden’s birth registry that showed women who took Paxil were 1.5 to

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Pfizer Dodges Fraud Prosecution AGAIN By Paying Over $1 Billion Fine

A division of Pfizer Inc., the world’s largest drugmaker, has agreed to plead
guilty to two felonies and pay $430 million in penalties to settle charges that
it fraudulently promoted the drug Neurontin for a string of unapproved uses.

In an agreement announced by government prosecutors Thursday, Pfizer unit
Warner-Lambert admitted that it aggressively marketed the epilepsy drug by

illicit means for unrelated conditions including bipolar disorder, pain,
migraine headaches, and drug and alcohol withdrawal.
A company whistle-blower, whose 1996 civil suit spurred
government investigations of Neurontin’s marketing campaign, will receive about
$26.6 million through the settlement under legal provisions that reward citizens
for helping to recover government money obtained by fraud.

The settlement includes $152 million to pay back amounts spent on Neurontin
by the federal Medicare program and 50 state Medicaid programs for the poor. In
addition, Pfizer will pay a $240 million criminal fine, the second-largest such

fine ever imposed in a health care fraud prosecution, the Department of Justice
said.

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Treating Depression Alternatively: BC Docs Use new treatments for depression

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bc-doctors-learn-new-treatments-for-mood-disorders/article1492091/ Treating Depression B.C. doctors learn new treatments for mood disorders David Floody is a retired schoolteacher and now writer based in Tofino, B.C., where he uses a mental health training program and activities like running to battle effects of depression and seasonal affective disorder. GEOFF HOWE FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL Program trains GPs to…

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ANTIDEPRESSANTS: Murder-Suicide: Four Dead: Oregon

Paragraph three reads:  “The reports also indicates that Clackamas County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jeffrey A. Grahn was taking antidepressants that can trigger suicidal thoughts. Grahn also told witnesses he had a couple of drinks before heading out on what would become a horrific shooting rampage.” Last three paragraphs read:  “He then grabbed Charlotte and hustled her…

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DEPT. of DEFENSE: Link Between Vet Suicides & Medications

LOREE K. SUTTON, M.D. DIRECTOR U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HOUSE
VETERANS AFFAIRS LINK BETWEEN MEDICATION AND VETERAN SUICIDE Roll Call, Inc.
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Ban Avandia & Save Per Month 300 from Heart Failure & 500 from Heart Attacks!

The reports, obtained by The New York Times, say that if every diabetic now taking Avandia were instead given a similar pill named Actos, about 500 heart attacks and 300 cases of heart failure would be averted every month because Avandia can hurt the heart. Avandia, intended to treat Type 2 diabetes, is known as rosiglitazone and was linked to 304 deaths during the third quarter of 2009.
“Rosiglitazone should be removed from the market,” one report, by Dr. David Graham and Dr. Kate Gelperin of the Food and Drug Administration, concludes. Both authors recommended that Avandia be withdrawn.

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