Over three years ago (April 19 2005) to be precise, Charles Medawar of Social Audit, sent Kent Woods, CEO of the MHRA, a rather detailed complaint regarding antidepressants and the MHRA. The complaint alleged maladministration by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
The complaint specifically concerned the regulation of a class of antidepressant drugs collectively known as SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). SSRIs have the notable advantage of low toxicity in overdose, but it is now generally accepted that SSRIs are no more effective in treating depression than other kinds of antidepressants. However, SSRIs have been marketed intensively, with the emphasis on promoting their use for an ever wider range of milder states of emotional distress.
SSRIs cause a wide range of adverse effects – e.g. weight gain, loss of libido, mood disturbances, and mental distress - but to illustrate this complaint reference is mainly made to the risk of drug withdrawal reactions indicative of drug dependence, and to the risk of SSRI-induced suicidal and violent behaviour.
It is generally relevant to this complaint, that a recent inquiry by the House of Commons Health Committee cast serious doubts on the fitness and competence of the MHRA. This Committee identified excessive and unwarranted drug prescribing as a real and growing danger to health, and questioned whether the Agency was equal to the task of containing it.
The Committee (para 376) thought not:
"During this long inquiry we became aware of serious weaknesses in the MHRA. Worryingly, in both its written and oral evidence the Agency seemed oblivious to the critical views of outsiders and unable to accept that it had any obvious shortcomings, except those that could be remedied by more transparency. The Agency’s attitude to its public health responsibilities suggested some complacency and a lack of requisite competency, reducing our confidence in its ability to undertake the reforms needed to earn and deserve public trust. Nor did we conclude that the MHRA provides the discipline and leadership that this powerful industry needs. We recommend that there be an independent review of the MHRA …"
You can read the complaint in full HERE
You can read Kent Woods response HERE
Charles Medawar responded to Woods with this letter HERE
It seems there was no correspondence after that.
Over three years ago and how far have we moved on?
Well, the MHRA had a meeting with patients. Withdrawal was glossed over.
At least Woods has agreed to read the thousands of complaints Janice Woods of the Seroxat User Group has collected over the years. I, myself, sent him a 172 page document with patient complaints about withdrawal - he never replied, in fact there has been no official reponse from the MHRA regarding that document I sent them. I also sent the MHRA a copy of the Glenmullen report. I have received no confirmation as to whether anyone from the MHRA have read it yet. Glenmullen's report confirms the opinion reached by psychiatrist Peter Breggin, MD, who submitted an expert report in another case in 2001.
I have to ask myself firstly why the MHRA are choosing to ignore the two documents I sent them. If they have read them then why not tell me? If they have an opinion on them then why not go public with it? Surely an opinion from a medicines regulator may put the public's mind at ease?
I hate to rain on the Seroxat User Group's parade but it is my opinion that whatever you send Woods [MHRA]will be glossed over and the psychological excuse will be touted.
Who do they believe?
The consumer or the manufacturer?
Their Chairman, Alasdair Breckenridge, thinks there is no Seroxat scandal: "The so-called scandal of Seroxat is something I want to nail every time I speak in front of compatriots because it is absolute rubbish”.
Rubbish eh?
If it were rubbish why would your CEO sit down with patient representatives and discuss Seroxat? The meeting wasn't just about the MHRA investigation... at least I hope it wasn't.
Incidently, Alasdair Breckenridge resigned from GSK before working for the MHRA!
If Alasdair Breckenridge thinks the 'so-called Seroxat scandal is rubbish' then I think those patient representatives who attended the meeting with Woods completely wasted their time.
After all, the House of Commons Health Committee did say: "...the Agency seemed oblivious to the critical views of outsiders"
It seems the only thing to come out of the MHRA regarding Seroxat is 'absolute rubbish'.
Resources;
Social Audit
AHRP Blog
Seroxat Secrets
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Zantac Lawsuit
Researching drug company and regulatory malfeasance for over 16 years
Humanist, humorist
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Regulation - A Matt Holford Perspective
Matt Holford writes the blog 'It's Quite An Experience'.
The MHRA once labelled him vexatious.
Vexatious means annoying.
Here is something Matt wrote for this blog:
The way the current system is set up, the only people who bear the fall-out are patients. It's not the Worshipful Company, for "finessing" the results of their trials and giving shit information to everybody; it's not the MHRA, for failing to assess drugs properly; it's not doctors, for failing to diagnose and prescribe correctly, despite the advice available. No, it's the patient, every time, even though the patient is in absolutely the worst position to make a judgement call on any of this.
The evidence is already compelling: the system doesn't work, and not only is nobody doing anything about it, but we're being told that actually, it's state of the art. The very unwillingness of anybody to acknowledge that we have raised issues worthy of the name tells us all that we need to know about the way the system is skewed. The stuff that may be rebutted, or at least obfuscated, receives the treatment that we've come to know and loathe - like the ridiculous game of semantics played with "addictive". That stuff that may not be rebutted, like the question of benefit, and the detailing of the assessment process, is just ignored, and anybody who presses the issue is branded "vexatious".
It's crap. I've been told by my GP to anticipate suicidality with fluoxetine; I experienced suicidality; then I was told that it was down to me. I went to my counsellor, who advised me that I was subject to the biggest conspiracy theory imaginable. And all this, because my employer gave me work to do, and then refused to give me the authority or the information to do it; and I then spent my time wondering what the fuck I'd done to deserve that treatment. Fuck the system - there is no system. It's fucking chaos: I see no evidence of any method, whatsoever.
Anyway, the upshot is that I absolutely refuse to waste another minute of my life trying to have a discussion about this with people who have no understanding of what "responsive," "responsibility" and "professionalism" amount to. There is no way to progress this matter towards a satisfactory conclusion unless the MHRA, et al, feel inclined to acknowledge the issues, both clinical and administrative, that we've raised. As it stands, we'll just spend our time raising more and more matters, and having them ignored and rebutted, in equal measure, just so that the fuckers can maintain the status quo, where people like me can roll around on their dining room floor, screaming silently, while the whole world looks on and tells them that it's perfectly normal; and where people like Monty Burns can get paid huge amounts of money for bullying those who raise flags.
Matt
Relevant links:
MHRA Meeting April 29th 2008 - My thoughts Part I
...and another thing Kent!
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
The MHRA once labelled him vexatious.
Vexatious means annoying.
Here is something Matt wrote for this blog:
The way the current system is set up, the only people who bear the fall-out are patients. It's not the Worshipful Company, for "finessing" the results of their trials and giving shit information to everybody; it's not the MHRA, for failing to assess drugs properly; it's not doctors, for failing to diagnose and prescribe correctly, despite the advice available. No, it's the patient, every time, even though the patient is in absolutely the worst position to make a judgement call on any of this.
The evidence is already compelling: the system doesn't work, and not only is nobody doing anything about it, but we're being told that actually, it's state of the art. The very unwillingness of anybody to acknowledge that we have raised issues worthy of the name tells us all that we need to know about the way the system is skewed. The stuff that may be rebutted, or at least obfuscated, receives the treatment that we've come to know and loathe - like the ridiculous game of semantics played with "addictive". That stuff that may not be rebutted, like the question of benefit, and the detailing of the assessment process, is just ignored, and anybody who presses the issue is branded "vexatious".
It's crap. I've been told by my GP to anticipate suicidality with fluoxetine; I experienced suicidality; then I was told that it was down to me. I went to my counsellor, who advised me that I was subject to the biggest conspiracy theory imaginable. And all this, because my employer gave me work to do, and then refused to give me the authority or the information to do it; and I then spent my time wondering what the fuck I'd done to deserve that treatment. Fuck the system - there is no system. It's fucking chaos: I see no evidence of any method, whatsoever.
Anyway, the upshot is that I absolutely refuse to waste another minute of my life trying to have a discussion about this with people who have no understanding of what "responsive," "responsibility" and "professionalism" amount to. There is no way to progress this matter towards a satisfactory conclusion unless the MHRA, et al, feel inclined to acknowledge the issues, both clinical and administrative, that we've raised. As it stands, we'll just spend our time raising more and more matters, and having them ignored and rebutted, in equal measure, just so that the fuckers can maintain the status quo, where people like me can roll around on their dining room floor, screaming silently, while the whole world looks on and tells them that it's perfectly normal; and where people like Monty Burns can get paid huge amounts of money for bullying those who raise flags.
Matt
Relevant links:
MHRA Meeting April 29th 2008 - My thoughts Part I
...and another thing Kent!
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Friday, May 30, 2008
...and another thing Kent!
Maybe it's time to set up some centres across the UK to help those trying to taper off Seroxat, a kind of walk in clinic manned by people that actually believe in what the patients are going through. Glaxo don't seem to care, neither, it seems does the UK medicines regulator.
Your system of regulating patient reports IS NOT working. Hand it over to people that know what they are doing - at least hand over the Seroxat withdrawal reports to people that have experienced it first hand! Let US tell them that what they are experiencing isn't psychological - do you know just how much your stubbornness is affecting the lives of these people? Do you know how your actions are lining the pockets of GSK?
Speak to David Healy, he will tell you that these problems are not psychological.
And if you or any of your staff throw the 'it would be financially impossible to do that' line at me, I will come back with 'How much money was spent on the four year investigation into GSK when the answers were already out there for every man and his dog to see' line.
Speak to Healy. I dare ya... I double, no, I triple dare ya.
He is up for it. Are you?
Let's see what you are made of Mr. Woods!
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Your system of regulating patient reports IS NOT working. Hand it over to people that know what they are doing - at least hand over the Seroxat withdrawal reports to people that have experienced it first hand! Let US tell them that what they are experiencing isn't psychological - do you know just how much your stubbornness is affecting the lives of these people? Do you know how your actions are lining the pockets of GSK?
Speak to David Healy, he will tell you that these problems are not psychological.
And if you or any of your staff throw the 'it would be financially impossible to do that' line at me, I will come back with 'How much money was spent on the four year investigation into GSK when the answers were already out there for every man and his dog to see' line.
Speak to Healy. I dare ya... I double, no, I triple dare ya.
He is up for it. Are you?
Let's see what you are made of Mr. Woods!
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Wake me up... when it's all over
FOR DAN
FOR HIS DAD
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
MHRA Meeting April 29th 2008 - My thoughts Part I
Below are my thoughts regarding the MHRA Meeting April 29th 2008 with patient representatives.
I'm not particularly bothered about the investigation into GSK - It took four years to investigate something has been publicly available for years previous to the investigation!
I'm not going to argue whether Seroxat can cause suicide in adults - The MHRA's position, or at least the position of their CEO, Kent Woods, will remain the same as GlaxoSmithKline's.
What I will argue the toss about though is Seroxat's addictive qualities and the failure of the MHRA to recognise this. I will also touch upon the whole antidepressant v placebo argument.
I will be using quotes from the transcript of the MHRA meeting, a transcript drawn up by the MHRA themselves... or a third party hired to do such a task. A copy of the transcript can be obtained via this link.
My comments in blue
----
This from page 12 on the subject of addiction.
Patricia Martin (Patient Rep [PR]) - Discontinuation syndromes and symptoms and whatever else. But your average patient who's looking at the patient information leaflets that he gets with his drug would look for words that they would recognise immediately. Such as, is this addictive, is this an addictive drug?
Derek Scott [PR] - It actually made me suicidal.
Janice Simmons [PR] - But GSK removed that statement, didn't they? In 2003, this drug is not addictive. I wonder why?
Kent Woods [MHRA] - Well, there is a medical problem here in terms like `addictive'. Because they do have quite a precise meaning, and they're not generally understood in the sort of lay sense. The worry… if you label a drug as addictive that isn't actually addictive, you can have the undesirable effect of actually discouraging people from using a treatment they actually need. And one of the problems that I faced in clinical practice over and over again, where patients clearly needed medical treatment for severe depression, the question would be asked of me, `Is this an addictive drug?'
Not understood in the sort of lay sense? I find that statement quite insulting. Okay, I may not have the CV of Kent Woods but I DO KNOW what an addiction is. I experienced it! Or is he assuming that I and the thousands of others are liars or just not able to grasp the terminology because we are mere 'laymen'/women? How patronising!
He continued... 'If you label a drug as addictive that isn't actually addictive, you can have the undesirable effect of actually discouraging people from using a treatment they actually need...'
Yes - I agree. But at the same time you can say that this drug has been reported to be addictive and patients may struggle for months, and in some cases years to wean [taper] from it. There is no balance here. Once again you are going on the word of the manufacturer and NOT the patient. It's ironic to go on the word of a manufacturer you recently found to be not as forthcoming as you wanted them to be. Where is the logic in this. Once bitten Kent.
Further down on page 12 Derek Scott challenges Kent Woods with:
"recent studies that showed that antidepressants, all of them, were no better than placebo."
Derek was corrected by Janice Simmons when she added: "Except in severe depression."
Kent Woods reply was:
What that showed was… and it was a study that wasn't above criticism, it was criticised at the time, it certainly showed that the effectiveness of antidepressants was difficult to demonstrate in anything less than severe depression. But if you look at the marketing authorisation for antidepressants it always says, `indicated for major depressive disorder'. It's not for minor depression, it's not for unhappiness, it's for major depressive disorder. And what that study actually showed was to confirm the licensing authorisation; these are not drugs to be used for trivial indications. They really are not.
This statement makes me angry and expletives are used in the following comment.
Is shyness a fucking major depressive disorder Kent? That's how GSK marketed this drug or are you oblivious to this? It's all well and good pointing to your marketing authorisation but the fact is Seroxat was marketed for shyness and YOU did nothing. If the marketing authorisation were such a powerful tool then why the fuck didn't you use it to tell GSK that they couldn't market a drug for shyness? Why have you sat in silence whilst this drug has been prescribed to patients who didn't fall into the category of someone with a major depressive disorder? You surely must have known? If you didn't, it begs the question what the hell you are doing as CEO of a medicines regulator!
Pg 13
Patricia Martin comments:
"But if you just look at the figures though, the total number of SSRIs that have been prescribed, you know you're not dealing… these are not being prescribed just for severe depression."
Janice Simmons adds:
"Yeah, what I was going to say is that therefore that proves surely the point that the drug companies have given false information to health professionals regarding the drugs. Oh, they'll be okay for shyness, they'll be okay for this and that. And doctors have just prescribed them so willy-nilly."
Kent Woods responds with:
The company, by law, is not allowed to promote its product outside the terms of its licensed authorisation. And that's why we ploughed through these million pages of documents to see whether the company showed any documented evidence that it had encouraged its sales force to push their product for indications that they didn't have a licence for.
Now, there are two other players in this. Okay, there's the company which would quite like to sell its product. There's the prescriber who's trying to find the best solution for a patient, and there's the patient who wants the best treatment going. And I think there's this complex triangular relationship. And we shouldn't only focus on the push factor from the company, although that is sometimes taken to the limit. But there is the pull factor from patients and there's the pull factor from doctors who really want to do something useful for the patient. And I contrast the example of antidepressant treatment with the example of anti- hypertensive treatment or lipid load treatment. You don't see the same…
Now hold fire just a second here Kent. You have not answered the question have you? You are beating around the bush. Fuck Glaxo wanting to sell it's product, fuck the doctors wanting to find a solution to the poor sod sitting in front of them with mild depression. The patient wants and expects the best treatment available to them and YOU gloss over the fact that they have been prescribed a drug that will not work for their particular level of depression? What kind of logic is this?
Here, I have a drug here that won't work for you, Take it twice a day now kindly fuck off! NEXT!
In essence you are condoning this... that's the way I read it anyhow.
For crying out loud Kent WAKE UP! Protect the fucking patients and NOT fucking the product!
pg 14
Janice Simmons tells Kent Woods:
My husband was prescribed them because his first marriage went wrong. I mean, and seventeen years later he's still on them.
How does Kent Woods respond to this?
I guess the real problem is there is no one size fits all. And every patient is different and there has to be, if you like, a negotiation between the patient and the prescriber as to what is the best way forward. We don't have the powers, and we probably shouldn't have the powers, to dictate what the individual patients, individual prescribers, decide to do in that situation. We regulate the company, we don't regulate the prescriber or the patient.
Err, excuse me Kent, did you not hear what Janice Simmons just said? You answered like a politician - totally avoiding the real issue.
I will come back to this at another time. The stubbornness of the regulator just gets me to a point where I want to pull my hair out and as I hit the age of 44 I don't have much left to pull out!
Part two coming soon.
Fid
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
I'm not particularly bothered about the investigation into GSK - It took four years to investigate something has been publicly available for years previous to the investigation!
I'm not going to argue whether Seroxat can cause suicide in adults - The MHRA's position, or at least the position of their CEO, Kent Woods, will remain the same as GlaxoSmithKline's.
What I will argue the toss about though is Seroxat's addictive qualities and the failure of the MHRA to recognise this. I will also touch upon the whole antidepressant v placebo argument.
I will be using quotes from the transcript of the MHRA meeting, a transcript drawn up by the MHRA themselves... or a third party hired to do such a task. A copy of the transcript can be obtained via this link.
My comments in blue
----
This from page 12 on the subject of addiction.
Patricia Martin (Patient Rep [PR]) - Discontinuation syndromes and symptoms and whatever else. But your average patient who's looking at the patient information leaflets that he gets with his drug would look for words that they would recognise immediately. Such as, is this addictive, is this an addictive drug?
Derek Scott [PR] - It actually made me suicidal.
Janice Simmons [PR] - But GSK removed that statement, didn't they? In 2003, this drug is not addictive. I wonder why?
Kent Woods [MHRA] - Well, there is a medical problem here in terms like `addictive'. Because they do have quite a precise meaning, and they're not generally understood in the sort of lay sense. The worry… if you label a drug as addictive that isn't actually addictive, you can have the undesirable effect of actually discouraging people from using a treatment they actually need. And one of the problems that I faced in clinical practice over and over again, where patients clearly needed medical treatment for severe depression, the question would be asked of me, `Is this an addictive drug?'
Not understood in the sort of lay sense? I find that statement quite insulting. Okay, I may not have the CV of Kent Woods but I DO KNOW what an addiction is. I experienced it! Or is he assuming that I and the thousands of others are liars or just not able to grasp the terminology because we are mere 'laymen'/women? How patronising!
He continued... 'If you label a drug as addictive that isn't actually addictive, you can have the undesirable effect of actually discouraging people from using a treatment they actually need...'
Yes - I agree. But at the same time you can say that this drug has been reported to be addictive and patients may struggle for months, and in some cases years to wean [taper] from it. There is no balance here. Once again you are going on the word of the manufacturer and NOT the patient. It's ironic to go on the word of a manufacturer you recently found to be not as forthcoming as you wanted them to be. Where is the logic in this. Once bitten Kent.
Further down on page 12 Derek Scott challenges Kent Woods with:
"recent studies that showed that antidepressants, all of them, were no better than placebo."
Derek was corrected by Janice Simmons when she added: "Except in severe depression."
Kent Woods reply was:
What that showed was… and it was a study that wasn't above criticism, it was criticised at the time, it certainly showed that the effectiveness of antidepressants was difficult to demonstrate in anything less than severe depression. But if you look at the marketing authorisation for antidepressants it always says, `indicated for major depressive disorder'. It's not for minor depression, it's not for unhappiness, it's for major depressive disorder. And what that study actually showed was to confirm the licensing authorisation; these are not drugs to be used for trivial indications. They really are not.
This statement makes me angry and expletives are used in the following comment.
Is shyness a fucking major depressive disorder Kent? That's how GSK marketed this drug or are you oblivious to this? It's all well and good pointing to your marketing authorisation but the fact is Seroxat was marketed for shyness and YOU did nothing. If the marketing authorisation were such a powerful tool then why the fuck didn't you use it to tell GSK that they couldn't market a drug for shyness? Why have you sat in silence whilst this drug has been prescribed to patients who didn't fall into the category of someone with a major depressive disorder? You surely must have known? If you didn't, it begs the question what the hell you are doing as CEO of a medicines regulator!
Pg 13
Patricia Martin comments:
"But if you just look at the figures though, the total number of SSRIs that have been prescribed, you know you're not dealing… these are not being prescribed just for severe depression."
Janice Simmons adds:
"Yeah, what I was going to say is that therefore that proves surely the point that the drug companies have given false information to health professionals regarding the drugs. Oh, they'll be okay for shyness, they'll be okay for this and that. And doctors have just prescribed them so willy-nilly."
Kent Woods responds with:
The company, by law, is not allowed to promote its product outside the terms of its licensed authorisation. And that's why we ploughed through these million pages of documents to see whether the company showed any documented evidence that it had encouraged its sales force to push their product for indications that they didn't have a licence for.
Now, there are two other players in this. Okay, there's the company which would quite like to sell its product. There's the prescriber who's trying to find the best solution for a patient, and there's the patient who wants the best treatment going. And I think there's this complex triangular relationship. And we shouldn't only focus on the push factor from the company, although that is sometimes taken to the limit. But there is the pull factor from patients and there's the pull factor from doctors who really want to do something useful for the patient. And I contrast the example of antidepressant treatment with the example of anti- hypertensive treatment or lipid load treatment. You don't see the same…
Now hold fire just a second here Kent. You have not answered the question have you? You are beating around the bush. Fuck Glaxo wanting to sell it's product, fuck the doctors wanting to find a solution to the poor sod sitting in front of them with mild depression. The patient wants and expects the best treatment available to them and YOU gloss over the fact that they have been prescribed a drug that will not work for their particular level of depression? What kind of logic is this?
Here, I have a drug here that won't work for you, Take it twice a day now kindly fuck off! NEXT!
In essence you are condoning this... that's the way I read it anyhow.
For crying out loud Kent WAKE UP! Protect the fucking patients and NOT fucking the product!
pg 14
Janice Simmons tells Kent Woods:
My husband was prescribed them because his first marriage went wrong. I mean, and seventeen years later he's still on them.
How does Kent Woods respond to this?
I guess the real problem is there is no one size fits all. And every patient is different and there has to be, if you like, a negotiation between the patient and the prescriber as to what is the best way forward. We don't have the powers, and we probably shouldn't have the powers, to dictate what the individual patients, individual prescribers, decide to do in that situation. We regulate the company, we don't regulate the prescriber or the patient.
Err, excuse me Kent, did you not hear what Janice Simmons just said? You answered like a politician - totally avoiding the real issue.
I will come back to this at another time. The stubbornness of the regulator just gets me to a point where I want to pull my hair out and as I hit the age of 44 I don't have much left to pull out!
Part two coming soon.
Fid
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Thursday, May 29, 2008
MHRA Meeting April 29th 2008
A transcript of the meeting between the MHRA and patient representatives is now available to download via the MHRA website. Direct download here.
For articles relating to the MHRA investigation into GlaxoSmithKline go here
Thanks to John Watkins of the MHRA for alerting myself and others to this document.
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
For articles relating to the MHRA investigation into GlaxoSmithKline go here
Thanks to John Watkins of the MHRA for alerting myself and others to this document.
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Death By Dilution. GSK, Halfan & fake-drug racketeering?
Fascinating story from 2005 over at The American Prospect. It was written by Robert Cockburn, a writer and a former foreign correspondent who has reported for The Times of London and the BBC.
When fakes of a GlaxoSmithKline anti-malarial drug turned up in Africa, authorities assumed the drug giant would want to know. Instead, they learned about a huge, evil trade in fake drugs -- and about an industry that doesn't want the truth to get out.
I really need to publish this story here (not all of it) and highlight some relevant points in red.
----
In Vienna, Virginia, not far from Washington, a database of all the fake drugs discovered by the world's 18 largest drug companies is kept at the Pharmaceutical Security Institute (PSI). The data maintained by the PSI may well hold the key to saving millions of innocent consumers from ingesting lethal counterfeits of the industry's best-selling medicines -- but it remains inaccessible to outside inquiries for what the industry calls “security” reasons. Fake drugs are indeed the pharmaceutical industry's most closely guarded secret.
But in September 2002, at a conference in Geneva, a man named Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko made a startling admission. The conference brought together top government officials, scientists, private investigators, and the world's biggest drug companies for the first global forum to discuss the explosion of fake pharmaceutical drugs in a racket spreading to the West. The media were expressly not invited into the meeting at the luxury hotel overlooking Lake Geneva.
Speaking up from the audience, Agyarko explained how one month earlier he had discovered a deadly counterfeit of the children's malaria syrup Halfan, which had been diluted to 40-percent strength. Halfan is made by the British drug giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The syrup is a lifesaver for serious cases in Africa, where a resurgence of malaria is killing more than a million people a year, 90 percent of them children under 5 years old.
The fake was discovered on sale in a pharmacy in Kumasi, Ghana's second-largest city, with a population of approximately 862,000. “It was atrocious,” he recalls of the diluted medicine. “At 40 percent, if anybody takes it they won't get the desired effect, particularly children. Any malarial infection that is not properly treated could easily end up losing the child.” As chief executive of the Ghana Food and Drug Board, Agyarko says he prepared a warning and then called GSK.
What followed is disputed to this day.
According to Agyarko, corporate staff from GSK's London headquarters came to his office, took away five bottles of the fake syrup for testing -- and asked him to withhold any warning. “We were going to issue a public statement,” Agyarko explained, until, he said, GSK told him, “‘Please, don't put that in the press. If you do this you will damage our product.'” He recalls that GSK offered to send in a sales team to remove fake Halfan from Kumasi if his agency kept the story out of the media.
“ [GSK] raised the issue of a problem with the brand if you go out and say that there is a batch that is counterfeited … . They sort of talked us into accepting the fact that if we did [report the fakes], it would badly affect the product. I wouldn't want to use the word ‘pressure.' We were encouraged to the view that this was not something that was a large amount.”
After his meeting with GSK, Agyarko's agency issued no warning. He later came to fear that children could have died as a result of that decision. The company never reported back to him, and he suspected that fakes were still available. “If it does come up again I would not hesitate at all to go public on the matter,” he says now. “I wouldn't give [GSK] the benefit of doing it themselves.”
Did GSK indeed ask him to withhold the warning? Did children in Kumasi suffer or die from using fake Halfan? At the time, GSK advertising featured a photograph of a healthy, smiling African girl to project the image of a caring company. The corporate Web site opened with the girl's picture and the GSK mission statement: “Our global quest is to improve the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.” Moreover, GSK depicts itself as an industry leader in fighting pharmaceutical fakes. “Fake drugs can kill people,” according to the company's official policy. “Counterfeits deceive patients.”
When I brought Agyarko's story to the attention of GSK's director of international public policy, Jessica Hughes, the corporate response was adamant denial. Louise Sibley, then GSK's vice president for communications, denied that the Kumasi incident ever occurred, and went further to deny that the company had ever received Agyarko's alert or his fake Halfan samples. In a corporate statement, she said, “[W]e were not provided with any samples of fakes by the authorities in Ghana, nor were any reports of fakes lodged with us.”
Informed that Agyarko was sticking to his claim, Sibley promised, “If there's a misunderstanding I'll run this into the ground.” I suggested that the company's security director, Graham Satchwell, would know whether GSK had received Agyarko's alert and samples. “I put in a call to Graham Satchwell, but I think he must be traveling,” she later told me, adding, “I don't think we are going to have anything more to say on it.”
It was simply Agyarko's word against GSK's, and because he insisted that the company had the only evidence, the controversy might have ended there. But a pair of Oxford University scientists had reason to suspect that Agyarko's story might be true. Based in Bangkok, professor Nicholas J. White and Dr. Paul Newton of Oxford's Centre for Clinical Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine had been rebuffed by GSK when they asked about fakes of Halfan syrup for research to assess the spread of counterfeit malaria drugs in Southeast Asia.
“It's despicable,” says the lean, shrewd White, at 54 one of the world's top malaria experts. “One packet or bottle is the difference between life and death. Poor people normally invest everything in that one medicine. You've got one shot and that's it. They often don't know why they are suffering and their children have died.” At the scientists' request, Agyarko teamed up with them to try to prove that the company indeed had received his fake samples, and to find out what GSK really knew about the fake Halfan. White had also asked me to assist the team's research because I had reported on the racket for the London Guardian and Times newspapers over a period of almost 20 years. (One night before flying back to Beirut in 1982, I met a marketing executive from Beecham (now GSK) who asked me to look for counterfeits of his company's Amoxil antibiotic, which he believed “the PLO was faking.” After an investigation that included a frightening car chase, I learned that everyone on all sides of the Middle East conflict was making over 50 fakes of well-known medicines because the trade was so lucrative.)
Why would a caring company want to stop a warning that could save a sick child? In fact, had Agyarko uncovered one of the main causes of the extraordinary spread of fake-drug racketeering? Had the years of inadequate regard for Third World customers by the pharmaceutical industry and governments allowed the racket to move out of the backstreet labs to become a vast criminal enterprise that now accounts for 10 percent of all available medicines? Agyarko's story offered the first insight into why the racket flourishes largely unchallenged -- and sparked a demand to break the industry's secrecy.
What began as a hunt for those missing bottles eventually revealed a murderous global trade in fake drugs targeting the sick, vulnerable, and poor. It grew into a survey to discover what major drug companies do -- and don't do -- to warn patients about fakes. Agyarko's missing bottles were only a symptom of a far deeper state of denial -- and a clue to the resurgence of malaria in Africa.
Story continues... HERE
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
When fakes of a GlaxoSmithKline anti-malarial drug turned up in Africa, authorities assumed the drug giant would want to know. Instead, they learned about a huge, evil trade in fake drugs -- and about an industry that doesn't want the truth to get out.
I really need to publish this story here (not all of it) and highlight some relevant points in red.
----
In Vienna, Virginia, not far from Washington, a database of all the fake drugs discovered by the world's 18 largest drug companies is kept at the Pharmaceutical Security Institute (PSI). The data maintained by the PSI may well hold the key to saving millions of innocent consumers from ingesting lethal counterfeits of the industry's best-selling medicines -- but it remains inaccessible to outside inquiries for what the industry calls “security” reasons. Fake drugs are indeed the pharmaceutical industry's most closely guarded secret.
But in September 2002, at a conference in Geneva, a man named Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko made a startling admission. The conference brought together top government officials, scientists, private investigators, and the world's biggest drug companies for the first global forum to discuss the explosion of fake pharmaceutical drugs in a racket spreading to the West. The media were expressly not invited into the meeting at the luxury hotel overlooking Lake Geneva.
Speaking up from the audience, Agyarko explained how one month earlier he had discovered a deadly counterfeit of the children's malaria syrup Halfan, which had been diluted to 40-percent strength. Halfan is made by the British drug giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The syrup is a lifesaver for serious cases in Africa, where a resurgence of malaria is killing more than a million people a year, 90 percent of them children under 5 years old.
The fake was discovered on sale in a pharmacy in Kumasi, Ghana's second-largest city, with a population of approximately 862,000. “It was atrocious,” he recalls of the diluted medicine. “At 40 percent, if anybody takes it they won't get the desired effect, particularly children. Any malarial infection that is not properly treated could easily end up losing the child.” As chief executive of the Ghana Food and Drug Board, Agyarko says he prepared a warning and then called GSK.
What followed is disputed to this day.
According to Agyarko, corporate staff from GSK's London headquarters came to his office, took away five bottles of the fake syrup for testing -- and asked him to withhold any warning. “We were going to issue a public statement,” Agyarko explained, until, he said, GSK told him, “‘Please, don't put that in the press. If you do this you will damage our product.'” He recalls that GSK offered to send in a sales team to remove fake Halfan from Kumasi if his agency kept the story out of the media.
“ [GSK] raised the issue of a problem with the brand if you go out and say that there is a batch that is counterfeited … . They sort of talked us into accepting the fact that if we did [report the fakes], it would badly affect the product. I wouldn't want to use the word ‘pressure.' We were encouraged to the view that this was not something that was a large amount.”
After his meeting with GSK, Agyarko's agency issued no warning. He later came to fear that children could have died as a result of that decision. The company never reported back to him, and he suspected that fakes were still available. “If it does come up again I would not hesitate at all to go public on the matter,” he says now. “I wouldn't give [GSK] the benefit of doing it themselves.”
Did GSK indeed ask him to withhold the warning? Did children in Kumasi suffer or die from using fake Halfan? At the time, GSK advertising featured a photograph of a healthy, smiling African girl to project the image of a caring company. The corporate Web site opened with the girl's picture and the GSK mission statement: “Our global quest is to improve the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.” Moreover, GSK depicts itself as an industry leader in fighting pharmaceutical fakes. “Fake drugs can kill people,” according to the company's official policy. “Counterfeits deceive patients.”
When I brought Agyarko's story to the attention of GSK's director of international public policy, Jessica Hughes, the corporate response was adamant denial. Louise Sibley, then GSK's vice president for communications, denied that the Kumasi incident ever occurred, and went further to deny that the company had ever received Agyarko's alert or his fake Halfan samples. In a corporate statement, she said, “[W]e were not provided with any samples of fakes by the authorities in Ghana, nor were any reports of fakes lodged with us.”
Informed that Agyarko was sticking to his claim, Sibley promised, “If there's a misunderstanding I'll run this into the ground.” I suggested that the company's security director, Graham Satchwell, would know whether GSK had received Agyarko's alert and samples. “I put in a call to Graham Satchwell, but I think he must be traveling,” she later told me, adding, “I don't think we are going to have anything more to say on it.”
It was simply Agyarko's word against GSK's, and because he insisted that the company had the only evidence, the controversy might have ended there. But a pair of Oxford University scientists had reason to suspect that Agyarko's story might be true. Based in Bangkok, professor Nicholas J. White and Dr. Paul Newton of Oxford's Centre for Clinical Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine had been rebuffed by GSK when they asked about fakes of Halfan syrup for research to assess the spread of counterfeit malaria drugs in Southeast Asia.
“It's despicable,” says the lean, shrewd White, at 54 one of the world's top malaria experts. “One packet or bottle is the difference between life and death. Poor people normally invest everything in that one medicine. You've got one shot and that's it. They often don't know why they are suffering and their children have died.” At the scientists' request, Agyarko teamed up with them to try to prove that the company indeed had received his fake samples, and to find out what GSK really knew about the fake Halfan. White had also asked me to assist the team's research because I had reported on the racket for the London Guardian and Times newspapers over a period of almost 20 years. (One night before flying back to Beirut in 1982, I met a marketing executive from Beecham (now GSK) who asked me to look for counterfeits of his company's Amoxil antibiotic, which he believed “the PLO was faking.” After an investigation that included a frightening car chase, I learned that everyone on all sides of the Middle East conflict was making over 50 fakes of well-known medicines because the trade was so lucrative.)
Why would a caring company want to stop a warning that could save a sick child? In fact, had Agyarko uncovered one of the main causes of the extraordinary spread of fake-drug racketeering? Had the years of inadequate regard for Third World customers by the pharmaceutical industry and governments allowed the racket to move out of the backstreet labs to become a vast criminal enterprise that now accounts for 10 percent of all available medicines? Agyarko's story offered the first insight into why the racket flourishes largely unchallenged -- and sparked a demand to break the industry's secrecy.
What began as a hunt for those missing bottles eventually revealed a murderous global trade in fake drugs targeting the sick, vulnerable, and poor. It grew into a survey to discover what major drug companies do -- and don't do -- to warn patients about fakes. Agyarko's missing bottles were only a symptom of a far deeper state of denial -- and a clue to the resurgence of malaria in Africa.
Story continues... HERE
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
GlaxoSmithKline in the News... and it ain't good news!
GSK submits non-statistically significant NDA for Promacta
Source: Pharmababble
Pharmababble's author writes:
An FDA reviewer said that Promacta, an experimental platelet-boosting drug seeking an indication for acute treatment of chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura from GSK, did not help control bleeding any better than a placebo. The reviewer wrote:
“The data provided in this NDA (new drug application) do not demonstrate statistically significant, robust … treatment effect in decreasing bleeding events,”
The FDA is already being stingy about approving NDAs when they demonstrate statistically significant effects. I can’t imagine the advisory board, which meets Friday, is going to issue a positive opinion about recommending an acute therapy for a chronic disease state, especially with non-statistically significant results.
I’m not a regulatory guy, so anyone want to explain the GSK reasoning to me?
----
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Seroxat Video from youtube
Not my work so don't get throwing tantrums.
I'll leave it up to viewers to come to their own conclusions.
I'll leave it up to viewers to come to their own conclusions.
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Doctors change prescribing habits on back of SSRI study
Source: OnMedica
Almost half of doctors are reconsidering prescribing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors to patients with depression after research found that they were not as effective as expected.
Of the 490 doctors questioned by OnMedica, 44% said they would consider other treatments to SSRIs because of doubts over their effectiveness.
The UK and US research in question was led by Dr Irving Kirsch, from the University of Hull. The researchers used freedom of information legislation to obtain data on unpublished as well as published clinical trials used by drug companies to obtain licenses for fluoxetine (Prozac), venlafaxine (Efexor), nefazodone, and paroxetine (Seroxat).
They assessed whether the initial severity of a patient’s depression influenced improvement with drug therapy. Their results published in the journal PLoS Medicine found no difference in improvement scores between patients taking the drug and placebo in moderate depression and only a small and clinically insignificant difference among patients with very severe depression.
Dr Luke Koupparis, Medical Editor, OnMedica said: “Doctors have clearly taken on board the findings of this research and are prepared to change their prescribing habits. This is something that the pharmaceutical companies involved should take on board.”
Now all that's left is for the medicines regulator to 'take on board' the ineffectiveness of SSRi's.
Benefits far outweigh the risks?
Yeh, sure they do.
Fid
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Almost half of doctors are reconsidering prescribing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors to patients with depression after research found that they were not as effective as expected.
Of the 490 doctors questioned by OnMedica, 44% said they would consider other treatments to SSRIs because of doubts over their effectiveness.
The UK and US research in question was led by Dr Irving Kirsch, from the University of Hull. The researchers used freedom of information legislation to obtain data on unpublished as well as published clinical trials used by drug companies to obtain licenses for fluoxetine (Prozac), venlafaxine (Efexor), nefazodone, and paroxetine (Seroxat).
They assessed whether the initial severity of a patient’s depression influenced improvement with drug therapy. Their results published in the journal PLoS Medicine found no difference in improvement scores between patients taking the drug and placebo in moderate depression and only a small and clinically insignificant difference among patients with very severe depression.
Dr Luke Koupparis, Medical Editor, OnMedica said: “Doctors have clearly taken on board the findings of this research and are prepared to change their prescribing habits. This is something that the pharmaceutical companies involved should take on board.”
Now all that's left is for the medicines regulator to 'take on board' the ineffectiveness of SSRi's.
Benefits far outweigh the risks?
Yeh, sure they do.
Fid
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Monday, May 26, 2008
For those who stood and continue to stand
My first ever post on this blog came on April 7th 2006. I never knew back then how much I would learn regarding how pharmaceutical companies work, how easy it is to research, how dark it can get sometimes when you read countless horror stories of those that have endured Seroxat withdrawal.
I've had death threats from Australia, an apparent dirt campaign against my name and been threatened with defamation via GlaxoSmithKline's Lawyers.
My personal life over the past two years has been a rollercoaster ride, the death of my mother, waving goodbye to a son who is off to fight for Queen & country, a relationship breakdown, being told I cannot be helped back to work via a disability scheme. Many other issues have got me down yet one thing has remained the same.
I don't have to rely on Seroxat to get me through the dark times anymore. I freed myself from its clutches a few years ago - it was a long journey, 18 months to wean down from 40mg per day to 22mg per day until eventually having to go cold turkey to free me from the shackles of addiction.
I no longer have to wake in a bed saturated with my sweat. No longer have to prepare my Seroxat dose by carefully administering the exact amount of Seroxat liquid into an oral syringe - too little and I'd feel like shit - too much and I'd be hooked back into its addictive clutches. I no longer feel the need to seek confrontation - the withdrawal process made me yearn confrontation, I wanted violence or rather the last dregs of Seroxat in my body wanted the person who it held on to, to go out and seek confrontation. Those god awful electric zaps ripping through my body have been kissed goodbye as have the visionary disturbances - my eyes no longer take that extra split second to focus when I turn my head. I no longer have to explain to my beautiful children why 'dad' is acting out of character because the drug inside their dad's body has him under its control. My short term memory is fucked beyond repair as is my tolerance to sudden loud noises but I guess a manufacturer of a drug will see that as a small price to pay for apparently helping someone through dark times as they probably would with the inner restlessness that has been left behind since I quit Seroxat.
The onus, I guess, is on me to prove that Seroxat has left me with these long term (probably permanent effects) - In truth, all anyone has is my word... knowing what we do today about how Pharma suppress, deny and bully then I think my word stands heads and shoulders above those whose sole intentions is to make money at the hands of those who suffer
I'm not a religious person, I have no God, no faith other than a belief that those who torture others will get their comeuppance - call it Karma if you like 'What goes around comes around'
Mental torture far exceeds physical torture. To fuck with someones head and have no shame or guilt is a despicable act by any standards. To live in total denial is an illness that not only affects the person living in it but those who have been roped into it.
To walk down a street with your head above your shoulders knowing you are free from guilt is a wonderful experience - One day those responsible for causing mental torture to another human being will realise this. Maybe then they will fall to their knees and beg forgiveness from their God or even shed a tear whilst they think about those they have hurt along their path of denial and ignorance.
I seriously doubt faith in humanity. I have learned of acts of complete and utter depravity by pharmaceutical companies - this blog will hopefully be a testament to that when I'm long gone.
Those that were put in a position to protect us have failed on a grand scale - they too are responsible for the mental torture suffered by those who have had severe problems withdrawing from Seroxat. They continue to bury their heads in the sand hoping the problem will go away so they can continue to live with a conscience blocked by denial.
Those that have fought the cause, those that have put their name to their beliefs, deserve to be applauded. I have the utmost respect and gratitude toward Rob Robinson. Rob started this ball rolling. He stood up and said enough is enough, his campaigning sent shockwaves through GlaxoSmithKline and opened the eyes of millions of disbelievers. The guy deserves an honorary medal for what he achieved and for the awareness he raised. He put his name out there and opened himself to ridicule, he fought with every ounce of belief and he took a rather large dump on GlaxoSmithKline, the stench of which still hangs around today. It is rumoured that Rob and GlaxoSmithKline came to some financial arrangement for him to remove the site that caused them such grief. Unfortunately for GlaxoSmithKline the site, Paxil Protest, is still available through the wonders of the internet. If rumours are true then I for one applaud Rob for scaring the living daylights out of GSK for them to come to such a conclusion!
The tireless campaigning of the Seroxat User Group here in the UK has to be admired. Once again someone (Janice Simmons) has stood up to the might of Pharma. She has stood firm in her beliefs and listened to thousands of sufferers. She has put forward her concerns time and time again to the regulators, she has knocked down brick wall after brick wall and never given up - she still continues to knock down those brick walls.
Derek Scott of the Online Seroxat Support Group has campaigned tirelessly. Letter after letter to MP's, DoH and other government officials. Once again here we have a human prepared to stand up in what he believes in, a human who puts his name on the line and leaves his name open to ridicule to a whole bunch of unsavoury characters in the land of cyberspace.
Matt Holford calls a spade a spade, he shoots from the hip. He backed the regulator into a corner, they couldn't give him answers so they labelled him 'vexatious', in other words they found him 'annoying' . He still writes on his blog, he still asks questions, he is still stonewalled.
Just a few of the Brit campaigners who have put their name on the block and stood up for what they believe in and left themselves open to a whole range of insidious characters whom try to discredit them.
Those in the professional field will also be remembered for standing up to the might of Pharma, notably Prof. David Healy, Journalist Shelley Jofre, Social Audit's Charles Medawar - each have had their part to play as they have tirelessly strove to help unravel the Seroxat scandal. Each will be remembered for this, each will be free from any shame or guilt. Each needs to stand up and take the applause.
Personally, I feel BBC TV's Shelley Jofre grew from a poodle into an Alsatian, she would nip at the heels of the MHRA and GSK - those nips have turned into major bites so much so that anyone from GSK or the MHRA interviewed by Shelley now requires a shot for rabies. Again, I have nothing but admiration for the way she grabbed the bull by the horns and slammed it to the ground with one almighty bang. The moment she turned MHRA Chairman, Alasdair Breckenridge into a stuttering mess will go down in television history.
Then we have those bloggers who write constantly about this whole sad affair. We have those who create videos to get the word out. They choose to remain anonymous which is their prerogative - they too deserve credit for their tireless work. As does Steph Gatchell, mother of Sharise, a beautiful girl whose life was cut short at the age of 18. Sharise had been prescribed the anti-depressant Seroxat. The American bloggers who continue to stand up to make a stand, in particular Julie, mother of Manie, a child born with severe birth defects. Julie had taken Seroxat whilst pregnant. More recently Shelley Hart's Paxil Blog has attracted the attention of many readers and her desire to write a book about Seroxat withdrawal is, it seems, causing major concerns for GlaxoSmithKline.
If it ever comes to task that Seroxat is not the preffered choice of SSRi prescribed to British patients by GP's then all of the above should take a bow. They have achieved something that our regulator has not. They can all sleep soundly at night in the knowledge that their work has saved lives, financial hardship and mental torture for those who have ever had the misfortune to introduce Seroxat into their lives.
I guess if it wasn't for the constant denials of those in charge then those responsible for this whole mess would not have been recognised. If Pharma had any morals we wouldn't have got to this point, their company name would have remained untarnished. Had the regulator regulated then all those advocates mentioned above would have all been able to take different paths, they wouldn't have had to witness via research, the horrors and the trail of destruction Seroxat has caused thousands of people.
There's a fat lady somewhere... and she is just itching to sing.
Fid
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
I've had death threats from Australia, an apparent dirt campaign against my name and been threatened with defamation via GlaxoSmithKline's Lawyers.
My personal life over the past two years has been a rollercoaster ride, the death of my mother, waving goodbye to a son who is off to fight for Queen & country, a relationship breakdown, being told I cannot be helped back to work via a disability scheme. Many other issues have got me down yet one thing has remained the same.
I don't have to rely on Seroxat to get me through the dark times anymore. I freed myself from its clutches a few years ago - it was a long journey, 18 months to wean down from 40mg per day to 22mg per day until eventually having to go cold turkey to free me from the shackles of addiction.
I no longer have to wake in a bed saturated with my sweat. No longer have to prepare my Seroxat dose by carefully administering the exact amount of Seroxat liquid into an oral syringe - too little and I'd feel like shit - too much and I'd be hooked back into its addictive clutches. I no longer feel the need to seek confrontation - the withdrawal process made me yearn confrontation, I wanted violence or rather the last dregs of Seroxat in my body wanted the person who it held on to, to go out and seek confrontation. Those god awful electric zaps ripping through my body have been kissed goodbye as have the visionary disturbances - my eyes no longer take that extra split second to focus when I turn my head. I no longer have to explain to my beautiful children why 'dad' is acting out of character because the drug inside their dad's body has him under its control. My short term memory is fucked beyond repair as is my tolerance to sudden loud noises but I guess a manufacturer of a drug will see that as a small price to pay for apparently helping someone through dark times as they probably would with the inner restlessness that has been left behind since I quit Seroxat.
The onus, I guess, is on me to prove that Seroxat has left me with these long term (probably permanent effects) - In truth, all anyone has is my word... knowing what we do today about how Pharma suppress, deny and bully then I think my word stands heads and shoulders above those whose sole intentions is to make money at the hands of those who suffer
I'm not a religious person, I have no God, no faith other than a belief that those who torture others will get their comeuppance - call it Karma if you like 'What goes around comes around'
Mental torture far exceeds physical torture. To fuck with someones head and have no shame or guilt is a despicable act by any standards. To live in total denial is an illness that not only affects the person living in it but those who have been roped into it.
To walk down a street with your head above your shoulders knowing you are free from guilt is a wonderful experience - One day those responsible for causing mental torture to another human being will realise this. Maybe then they will fall to their knees and beg forgiveness from their God or even shed a tear whilst they think about those they have hurt along their path of denial and ignorance.
I seriously doubt faith in humanity. I have learned of acts of complete and utter depravity by pharmaceutical companies - this blog will hopefully be a testament to that when I'm long gone.
Those that were put in a position to protect us have failed on a grand scale - they too are responsible for the mental torture suffered by those who have had severe problems withdrawing from Seroxat. They continue to bury their heads in the sand hoping the problem will go away so they can continue to live with a conscience blocked by denial.
Those that have fought the cause, those that have put their name to their beliefs, deserve to be applauded. I have the utmost respect and gratitude toward Rob Robinson. Rob started this ball rolling. He stood up and said enough is enough, his campaigning sent shockwaves through GlaxoSmithKline and opened the eyes of millions of disbelievers. The guy deserves an honorary medal for what he achieved and for the awareness he raised. He put his name out there and opened himself to ridicule, he fought with every ounce of belief and he took a rather large dump on GlaxoSmithKline, the stench of which still hangs around today. It is rumoured that Rob and GlaxoSmithKline came to some financial arrangement for him to remove the site that caused them such grief. Unfortunately for GlaxoSmithKline the site, Paxil Protest, is still available through the wonders of the internet. If rumours are true then I for one applaud Rob for scaring the living daylights out of GSK for them to come to such a conclusion!
The tireless campaigning of the Seroxat User Group here in the UK has to be admired. Once again someone (Janice Simmons) has stood up to the might of Pharma. She has stood firm in her beliefs and listened to thousands of sufferers. She has put forward her concerns time and time again to the regulators, she has knocked down brick wall after brick wall and never given up - she still continues to knock down those brick walls.
Derek Scott of the Online Seroxat Support Group has campaigned tirelessly. Letter after letter to MP's, DoH and other government officials. Once again here we have a human prepared to stand up in what he believes in, a human who puts his name on the line and leaves his name open to ridicule to a whole bunch of unsavoury characters in the land of cyberspace.
Matt Holford calls a spade a spade, he shoots from the hip. He backed the regulator into a corner, they couldn't give him answers so they labelled him 'vexatious', in other words they found him 'annoying' . He still writes on his blog, he still asks questions, he is still stonewalled.
Just a few of the Brit campaigners who have put their name on the block and stood up for what they believe in and left themselves open to a whole range of insidious characters whom try to discredit them.
Those in the professional field will also be remembered for standing up to the might of Pharma, notably Prof. David Healy, Journalist Shelley Jofre, Social Audit's Charles Medawar - each have had their part to play as they have tirelessly strove to help unravel the Seroxat scandal. Each will be remembered for this, each will be free from any shame or guilt. Each needs to stand up and take the applause.
Personally, I feel BBC TV's Shelley Jofre grew from a poodle into an Alsatian, she would nip at the heels of the MHRA and GSK - those nips have turned into major bites so much so that anyone from GSK or the MHRA interviewed by Shelley now requires a shot for rabies. Again, I have nothing but admiration for the way she grabbed the bull by the horns and slammed it to the ground with one almighty bang. The moment she turned MHRA Chairman, Alasdair Breckenridge into a stuttering mess will go down in television history.
Then we have those bloggers who write constantly about this whole sad affair. We have those who create videos to get the word out. They choose to remain anonymous which is their prerogative - they too deserve credit for their tireless work. As does Steph Gatchell, mother of Sharise, a beautiful girl whose life was cut short at the age of 18. Sharise had been prescribed the anti-depressant Seroxat. The American bloggers who continue to stand up to make a stand, in particular Julie, mother of Manie, a child born with severe birth defects. Julie had taken Seroxat whilst pregnant. More recently Shelley Hart's Paxil Blog has attracted the attention of many readers and her desire to write a book about Seroxat withdrawal is, it seems, causing major concerns for GlaxoSmithKline.
If it ever comes to task that Seroxat is not the preffered choice of SSRi prescribed to British patients by GP's then all of the above should take a bow. They have achieved something that our regulator has not. They can all sleep soundly at night in the knowledge that their work has saved lives, financial hardship and mental torture for those who have ever had the misfortune to introduce Seroxat into their lives.
I guess if it wasn't for the constant denials of those in charge then those responsible for this whole mess would not have been recognised. If Pharma had any morals we wouldn't have got to this point, their company name would have remained untarnished. Had the regulator regulated then all those advocates mentioned above would have all been able to take different paths, they wouldn't have had to witness via research, the horrors and the trail of destruction Seroxat has caused thousands of people.
There's a fat lady somewhere... and she is just itching to sing.
Fid
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Never Forget
NEVER FORGET (See Song of the Day - Top of right hand column)
Been on this path of life for so long, Feel I've walked a thousand miles
Sometimes strolled hand in hand with love, Everybody's been there
With danger on my mind I would stand on the line of hope, I knew I could make it
Once I knew the boundaries I looked into the clouds and saw,
My face in the moonlight
Just then I realised what a fool I could be
Just cause I look so high I don't have to see me
Finding a paradise wasn't easy but still
There's a road going down the other side of this hill
Never forget where you've come here from
Never pretend that it's all real
Someday soon this will be someone else's dream
Been safe from the arms of disappointment for so long,
Feel each day we've come too far
Yet each day seems to make much more, Sure is good to be here
I understand the meaning of "I can't explain this feeling", Now it feels so unreal
At night I see the hand that reminds me of the stand I make
The fact of reality
REPEAT CHORUS
We've come so far and we've reached so high
And we've looked each day and night in the eye
And we're still so young and we hope for more, But remember this
We're not invincible, we're not invincible, no
We're only people, we're only people
Hey we're not invincible, we're not invincible
TAKE THAT
Dedicated to all those who feel they have come to the end of the road.
Fid
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Been on this path of life for so long, Feel I've walked a thousand miles
Sometimes strolled hand in hand with love, Everybody's been there
With danger on my mind I would stand on the line of hope, I knew I could make it
Once I knew the boundaries I looked into the clouds and saw,
My face in the moonlight
Just then I realised what a fool I could be
Just cause I look so high I don't have to see me
Finding a paradise wasn't easy but still
There's a road going down the other side of this hill
Never forget where you've come here from
Never pretend that it's all real
Someday soon this will be someone else's dream
Been safe from the arms of disappointment for so long,
Feel each day we've come too far
Yet each day seems to make much more, Sure is good to be here
I understand the meaning of "I can't explain this feeling", Now it feels so unreal
At night I see the hand that reminds me of the stand I make
The fact of reality
REPEAT CHORUS
We've come so far and we've reached so high
And we've looked each day and night in the eye
And we're still so young and we hope for more, But remember this
We're not invincible, we're not invincible, no
We're only people, we're only people
Hey we're not invincible, we're not invincible
TAKE THAT
Dedicated to all those who feel they have come to the end of the road.
Fid
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Truth About Antidepressants & Chemical Imbalance, Psychology
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Depression Alliance & Servier Laboratories
Seroxat Secrets has an interesting post about Depression Alliance currently running. It's a good read:
Here's the first para:
It looks like Depression Alliance (DA) is up to its old tricks again… I have written about DA in the past and criticised the part it played in the marketing of Cymbalta in the UK.
To read more pay a visit HERE
I refuse to go into any further details as the last time I wrote about DA on my blog their CEO sent me a series of rather unsavoury emails. (Scroll to bottom of page then read upwards HERE)
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Here's the first para:
It looks like Depression Alliance (DA) is up to its old tricks again… I have written about DA in the past and criticised the part it played in the marketing of Cymbalta in the UK.
To read more pay a visit HERE
I refuse to go into any further details as the last time I wrote about DA on my blog their CEO sent me a series of rather unsavoury emails. (Scroll to bottom of page then read upwards HERE)
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Friday, May 23, 2008
HOW BIG PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES CONTROL MEDICINE
Case notes on corruption - Source: Le Monde Diplomatique
Doctors rely on information supplied, and research done, by major drugs companies: so ’Big Pharma’ directly or indirectly influences the choice of prescriptions for patients.
By Philippe Rivière
THE media just loves stories about bribery and corruption in the corridors of political power. Yet when GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) was under scrutiny, as it was in Italy earlier this year, the media was almost silent about it. The Italian police investigated 2,900 doctors: 37 employees of GSK Italy and 35 doctors were indicted for corruption, while 80 medical visitors were accused of making illegal payments to doctors who agreed to prescribe GSK products rather than generic equivalents. The only reports on this massive scandal were in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) (1) and the Guardian (2).
During the investigation, the police set up an elaborate computer system - Giove (Jupiter) - showing how GSK commercial representatives could track prescriptions made by doctors in their pay. According to the BMJ, 13,000 hours of phone taps give a clear picture of the relationship between prescriptions issued and the value of presents received by the doctors. Gifts included "medical" trips to the Monte Carlo Grand Prix or to the Caribbean, and cash payments of up to $1,700. Similar occurences have been discovered in the United States and Germany.
(1) Fabio Turone: "Italian police investigate GSK Italy for bribery", British Medical Journal, February 2003. (Restricted access)
(2) Sophie Arie: "British drugs giant in Italian bribery investigation", the Guardian, 13 February 2003.
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Doctors rely on information supplied, and research done, by major drugs companies: so ’Big Pharma’ directly or indirectly influences the choice of prescriptions for patients.
By Philippe Rivière
THE media just loves stories about bribery and corruption in the corridors of political power. Yet when GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) was under scrutiny, as it was in Italy earlier this year, the media was almost silent about it. The Italian police investigated 2,900 doctors: 37 employees of GSK Italy and 35 doctors were indicted for corruption, while 80 medical visitors were accused of making illegal payments to doctors who agreed to prescribe GSK products rather than generic equivalents. The only reports on this massive scandal were in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) (1) and the Guardian (2).
During the investigation, the police set up an elaborate computer system - Giove (Jupiter) - showing how GSK commercial representatives could track prescriptions made by doctors in their pay. According to the BMJ, 13,000 hours of phone taps give a clear picture of the relationship between prescriptions issued and the value of presents received by the doctors. Gifts included "medical" trips to the Monte Carlo Grand Prix or to the Caribbean, and cash payments of up to $1,700. Similar occurences have been discovered in the United States and Germany.
(1) Fabio Turone: "Italian police investigate GSK Italy for bribery", British Medical Journal, February 2003. (Restricted access)
(2) Sophie Arie: "British drugs giant in Italian bribery investigation", the Guardian, 13 February 2003.
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Bayer & Glaxo Linked To Bribes In Italy
Source: Ed Silverman's Pharmalot
...and the wheel of corruption keeps on turning!
A drug licences-for-cash scandal has engulfed Italy’s medicines regulatory agency with leading officials arrested along with people linked to major drugmakers, PharmaTimes writes. The most senior figure to have been held is Pasqualino Rossi, vice-president of Aifa, the Italian Agency for Pharmaceuticals), and one of Italy’s most senior representatives at the European Medicines Agency.
Five lobbyists have also been arrested, and an eighth person is being sought. Arrest warrants were issued after an investigating judge saw a 400-word police report suggesting money had changed hands in return for falsifying clinical data required for drug licences, according to PharmaTimes. At issue are licenses awarded to around 30 meds, mostly generics. The two-year investigation used wiretaps and covert cameras.
The scandal came to light following a routine comparison of a branded med and its generic equivalent, which turned out to have undergone fewer tests than were officially claimed and that data endorsing the product had been falsified. The discovery sparked a major investigation by the Turin’s prosecutor, Raffaele Guariniello.
“In this case the corruption and risks to people’s health were bound-up together, ” he was quoted as saying, according to Pharmatimes. “And the web and the magnitude of events that we’re shedding light on have unthinkable and very grave consequences.”
Italy’s La Repubblica newspaper named Bayer and GlaxoSmithKline as having links to some of those arrested. Daniele Rosa, a spokesman for Bayer’s Italian division said: “The investigation does not concern the behaviour of the company, but alleged behaviour that could be traced back to some collaborators whose behaviour the company has no knowledge of. We will cooperate, as always, with the investigating authorities for everything that will be requested.”
Massimo Escani, a spokesman for Glaxo in Italy, denied that any associates of the company were involved in the scandal. “The claims are completely untrue. We deny any involvement whatsoever. These reports are groundless,” he told the Italian newspaper, according to PharmaTimes.
Initially, Aifa issued a brief statement denying that its employees were among those being investigated. When the Italian press named the senior officials arrested, however, the statement was removed from the website and the spokesman said that a new one was being prepared.
According to PharmaTimes, Martin Jarvis, a spokesman for the EMEA, said: “We are aware of the reports and we have written to the Italian authorities in order to clarify Dr. Rossi’s status. Our concern is that he is in a position to perform his duties at the EMEA.”
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
...and the wheel of corruption keeps on turning!
A drug licences-for-cash scandal has engulfed Italy’s medicines regulatory agency with leading officials arrested along with people linked to major drugmakers, PharmaTimes writes. The most senior figure to have been held is Pasqualino Rossi, vice-president of Aifa, the Italian Agency for Pharmaceuticals), and one of Italy’s most senior representatives at the European Medicines Agency.
Five lobbyists have also been arrested, and an eighth person is being sought. Arrest warrants were issued after an investigating judge saw a 400-word police report suggesting money had changed hands in return for falsifying clinical data required for drug licences, according to PharmaTimes. At issue are licenses awarded to around 30 meds, mostly generics. The two-year investigation used wiretaps and covert cameras.
The scandal came to light following a routine comparison of a branded med and its generic equivalent, which turned out to have undergone fewer tests than were officially claimed and that data endorsing the product had been falsified. The discovery sparked a major investigation by the Turin’s prosecutor, Raffaele Guariniello.
“In this case the corruption and risks to people’s health were bound-up together, ” he was quoted as saying, according to Pharmatimes. “And the web and the magnitude of events that we’re shedding light on have unthinkable and very grave consequences.”
Italy’s La Repubblica newspaper named Bayer and GlaxoSmithKline as having links to some of those arrested. Daniele Rosa, a spokesman for Bayer’s Italian division said: “The investigation does not concern the behaviour of the company, but alleged behaviour that could be traced back to some collaborators whose behaviour the company has no knowledge of. We will cooperate, as always, with the investigating authorities for everything that will be requested.”
Massimo Escani, a spokesman for Glaxo in Italy, denied that any associates of the company were involved in the scandal. “The claims are completely untrue. We deny any involvement whatsoever. These reports are groundless,” he told the Italian newspaper, according to PharmaTimes.
Initially, Aifa issued a brief statement denying that its employees were among those being investigated. When the Italian press named the senior officials arrested, however, the statement was removed from the website and the spokesman said that a new one was being prepared.
According to PharmaTimes, Martin Jarvis, a spokesman for the EMEA, said: “We are aware of the reports and we have written to the Italian authorities in order to clarify Dr. Rossi’s status. Our concern is that he is in a position to perform his duties at the EMEA.”
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Thursday, May 22, 2008
MHRA Data updated... and they STILL DO NOTHING!
You may remember the meeting with the MHRA and Janice Simmons a while back. Janice asked Sarah Wark, Pharmacovigilance Risk Management MHRA, why the Adverse Reactions to SSRi's was not updated on their site. Sarah Wark said they were in the process of updating it.
Low and behold! It's been updated.
Lets take a look at Paroxetine [Seroxat]
Total Number of Reactions: 29,711
Total Number of Adverse Reactions(ADR): 10,242
Total Number of ADR Fatalities: 166
Quite astounding that they have chose to do nothing about this... then again, what's 166 deaths to the MHRA, what does it matter that 10,242 people have had adverse reactions to Seroxat?
Total Number of Adverse Reactions(ADR): 10,242
Total Number of ADR Fatalities: 166
Quite astounding that they have chose to do nothing about this... then again, what's 166 deaths to the MHRA, what does it matter that 10,242 people have had adverse reactions to Seroxat?
These are only the statistics sent in by people who use the yellow card system - God only knows what the real figure is!
Somebody pinch me - this isn't happening... is it?
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Retention bonus a bitter pill for GSK shareholders
Source: Management Today
Shareholders are getting increasingly stroppy about execs getting big bonuses just for staying put...
GlaxoSmithKline has become the latest big company to face a shareholder revolt over plans to pay out retention bonuses to senior executives. Only about 60% of investors backed a plan to pay a £2.5m bonus to the company’s US head Chris Vierbacher in February – a pretty underwhelming show of support for the company’s remuneration report.
GSK made a £2.5m stock award to Vierbacher (who runs the company’s US pharmaceuticals business) just after he lost out to Andrew Witty in the race to succeed Jean-Pierre Garnier as CEO. The idea was to stop him storming off in a sulk to one of Glaxo’s rivals – in much the same way that pharma boss David Stout immediately quit after being passed over for the top job (nobody even seems to know if he had another job to go to). In other words, Vierbacher’s in line to pick up an additional £2.5m just to continue doing his job – assuming he sticks around until the end of 2011, that is.
To be fair, GSK shareholders have got form for this kind of thing – in 2003, chief exec Garnier saw his £11m pay package voted down by investors, forcing him to settle for a somewhat smaller sum. (This AGM was Garnier's last in charge, and by the sounds of it he got a pretty rough ride from investors unhappy about the drug-maker's turgid share price performance).
However, this particular issue is clearly raising hackles across the corporate landscape – earlier this week Shell saw nearly half of its investors refuse to back a plan to pay a one-off bonus of nearly £2m in shares to three of its top execs. Again, it boiled down to a succession issue – all three are in line to replace CEO Jeroen van der Veer when he leaves next year, and Shell wants to make sure they’re all well and truly shackled in golden handcuffs before the decision is made.
Of course, succession is always a tricky issue. In an ideal world a company will want to have a number of competent and ambitious candidates when the CEO steps down – but only one can be top dog, and the others will invariably be left disappointed. So we can understand why companies try to use retention bonuses to tie in their top talent and minimise disruption when the new boss is appointed.
But the question is: are these bonuses actually worthwhile? Many shareholders are sceptical, not least because (unlike GSK’s deal) they often have no link to performance – the company is just paying the beneficiary a large sum of money to do nothing. If only we could persuade our paymasters to do the same for us...
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Shareholders are getting increasingly stroppy about execs getting big bonuses just for staying put...
GlaxoSmithKline has become the latest big company to face a shareholder revolt over plans to pay out retention bonuses to senior executives. Only about 60% of investors backed a plan to pay a £2.5m bonus to the company’s US head Chris Vierbacher in February – a pretty underwhelming show of support for the company’s remuneration report.
GSK made a £2.5m stock award to Vierbacher (who runs the company’s US pharmaceuticals business) just after he lost out to Andrew Witty in the race to succeed Jean-Pierre Garnier as CEO. The idea was to stop him storming off in a sulk to one of Glaxo’s rivals – in much the same way that pharma boss David Stout immediately quit after being passed over for the top job (nobody even seems to know if he had another job to go to). In other words, Vierbacher’s in line to pick up an additional £2.5m just to continue doing his job – assuming he sticks around until the end of 2011, that is.
To be fair, GSK shareholders have got form for this kind of thing – in 2003, chief exec Garnier saw his £11m pay package voted down by investors, forcing him to settle for a somewhat smaller sum. (This AGM was Garnier's last in charge, and by the sounds of it he got a pretty rough ride from investors unhappy about the drug-maker's turgid share price performance).
However, this particular issue is clearly raising hackles across the corporate landscape – earlier this week Shell saw nearly half of its investors refuse to back a plan to pay a one-off bonus of nearly £2m in shares to three of its top execs. Again, it boiled down to a succession issue – all three are in line to replace CEO Jeroen van der Veer when he leaves next year, and Shell wants to make sure they’re all well and truly shackled in golden handcuffs before the decision is made.
Of course, succession is always a tricky issue. In an ideal world a company will want to have a number of competent and ambitious candidates when the CEO steps down – but only one can be top dog, and the others will invariably be left disappointed. So we can understand why companies try to use retention bonuses to tie in their top talent and minimise disruption when the new boss is appointed.
But the question is: are these bonuses actually worthwhile? Many shareholders are sceptical, not least because (unlike GSK’s deal) they often have no link to performance – the company is just paying the beneficiary a large sum of money to do nothing. If only we could persuade our paymasters to do the same for us...
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Video Interlude. AC/DC 117 minutes of them!
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Some suggested reading for Kent Woods (CEO MHRA)
Well seeing as he does not have the decency to answer my emails regarding the serious withdrawal problems that exist regarding Seroxat I thought I'd offer him some reading matter by way of clicking on various links.
I sent him a 172 page document that took me two days to compile. A list of comments from people all over the world who have struggled when tapering from Seroxat. What does he do? Nothing!
He can't really use 'I have not read it yet as I have been nowhere near my desk' as an excuse because I have been sending him emails on and off now for the best part of two years!
Anyway... his ignorance will be his downfall I guess.
Some suggested reading matter for you Mr. Woods:
Some can't quit antidepressants - Syndrome makes it impossible for some patients to wean off medication - HERE
Brain Zaps & Brain Shivers - HERE
The Brain Zaps - HERE
Brain Zaps (Wikipedia) - HERE
...and finally - 7 Signs That You're Living in Denial - HERE
Happy reading Mr Woods.
Fid
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
I sent him a 172 page document that took me two days to compile. A list of comments from people all over the world who have struggled when tapering from Seroxat. What does he do? Nothing!
He can't really use 'I have not read it yet as I have been nowhere near my desk' as an excuse because I have been sending him emails on and off now for the best part of two years!
Anyway... his ignorance will be his downfall I guess.
Some suggested reading matter for you Mr. Woods:
Some can't quit antidepressants - Syndrome makes it impossible for some patients to wean off medication - HERE
Brain Zaps & Brain Shivers - HERE
The Brain Zaps - HERE
Brain Zaps (Wikipedia) - HERE
...and finally - 7 Signs That You're Living in Denial - HERE
Happy reading Mr Woods.
Fid
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Dear Kent... We have a Problem!
For the past two days I have painstakingly compiled a list of comments left at the online Paxil petition. The pdf file is 172 pages long and I have only used half the comments from the petition.
For those suffering with severe withdrawal - you are not alone. If your doctor does not think it could possibly be Seroxat that is causing your withdrawal problems then print off the document and take it to him/her.
Sadly, you won't get help from the MHRA or the DoH - you see, it would be too much for them to admit that such a problem has existed and been under their noses for many years.
Kent Woods chooses not to correspond with me - he cannot hide anymore. Something has to be done. The very patients the MHRA claim to safeguard are having serious problems with Seroxat.
The pdf file has been sent to Kent Woods, CEO of the MHRA, it has also been sent to the Communications Officer at the MHRA.
You can download it here.
It makes horrific reading and you can sense the anger in some of the comments.
What makes it more disturbing is the attitude of GlaxoSmithKline CEO, John Paul (ahem) Pierre Garnier. He clearly showed yesterday in his interview with Radio Four's James Naughtie that he does not wish to discuss the problems of Seroxat. (Audio Here)
After reading through all the horrendous withdrawal stories one has to ask oneself if their was ever a motive behind the marketing, promotion and selling of Seroxat [Paxil]?
A couple of possibilities occur to me, at present:
1, GlaxoSmithKline knowingly manufactured, promoted and sold a drug that they knew would cause horrendous withdrawal effects in the consumer
or
2, They never knew - and when they found out they did nothing.
So which one?
Would a huge corporate company promote a drug knowing that it could cause these serious withdrawal effects? Well, if the recent MHRA investigation into GlaxoSmithKline is anything to go by then that is a strong possibility. The MHRA Enforcement Team found that GSK (then SKB) failed to show that Seroxat was effective in treating major depressive disorder in children. A second trial, number 377, was conducted and this also failed to show that Seroxat was effective. Both studies completed towards the end of 1998. SKB made no amendment to the SPC on the basis of these data.
An internal GSK management document (which subsequently came into the public domain) dated October 1998 says that “it would be commercially unacceptable to include a statement that efficacy had not been demonstrated, as this would undermine the profile of paroxetine”.
Now this suggests (1) - GlaxoSmithKline knowingly manufactured, promoted and sold a drug that they knew did not demonstrate efficacy in the consumer. So we can rule out (2) - They never knew - and when they found out they did nothing. (ie, it did suspect that its drug was dangerous and inefficacious, and when it found out, it chose to suppress what it believed to be the case).
Anyone with an ounce of common sense would therefore feel reasonably just to assume that they did exactly the same when promoting and selling Seroxat to adults.
Do we have proof of this?
Well we have proof that GlaxoSmithKline have denied that Seroxat can cause addiction so where does that leave the consumer?
Do we jump to point (1) - GlaxoSmithKline knowingly manufactured, promoted and sold a drug that they knew would cause horrendous withdrawal effects in the consumer? Or do we assume point (2) - They never knew - and when they found out they did nothing?
We have the MHRA in the UK who claim the benefits of taking Seroxat far outweigh the risks - The lists of real peoples stories of the withdrawal problems when trying to taper off Seroxat blows the MHRA statement out of the water - yet they still stand by it.
So we have a pharmaceutical company and a medicine regulator sitting on the same page regarding Seroxat being addictive.. or not as is the case.
Where does the consumer fit in?
Well, it appears that the consumer has no rights. Despite thousands of reports about severe withdrawal problems - GSK and the MHRA stand firm.Consumer reports of adverse reactions appear to be being recycled as toilet paper and used to wipe away human waste from the arses of both GSK and the MHRA. So, the consumer basically has no say in this - He/she can write about their experience of withdrawal on Seroxat but it appears nothing will be done.
Why?
GlaxoSmithKline are a money making machine - let us not lose sight of this fact. They are a business and like all businesses they wish to make money...and lots of it. To admit Seroxat can cause addiction would (in their own words) "be commercially unacceptable" and "would undermine the profile of paroxetine”[Seroxat].
But what of the UK Medicines Regulator? What motive do they have for not accepting patient reports as given? To be honest I'm as baffled as the next man when it comes to the MHRA particularly as they proudly boast on their webpage that their mission is 'Safeguarding public health'. Are they ashamed that they never did anything earlier and to act now would raise questions? Do they not like being told what to do by patients?
There is a clear problem with Seroxat withdrawal that is not listed on the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL). Seroxat CAN seriously cause debilitating side effects so much so that doctors increase the dose rather than taper the patient from it. This causes more serious side effects when the patient tries totaper off at a later date.
Personally, and I can speak from personal experience, Seroxat works in two ways.
1. It masks the feelings of depression
and
2. When trying to withdraw you can get serious problems - to counteract these problems your doctor may up your dosage.
It's a genius piece of product marketing don't you think? The initial illness can always be blamed for the problems one faces when withdrawing from Seroxat - particularly as both GSK and the MHRA stand firm that it is not addictive.
Hats off to the GSK marketing team - they've duped the regulator yet again!
What are the consequences of long-term use of Seroxat?
Nobody knows. I believe that 'Long Term' use would exceed 2 years. If long term use is found to have serious implications for the consumer then GlaxoSmithKline are going to have one hell of a ride over the coming years - and if the MHRA don't act now then they will too.
Fid (Seroxat user for 6 years - took 18 months to taper off a drug that is non-addictive)
Link - Seroxat Withdrawal Complaints
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
For those suffering with severe withdrawal - you are not alone. If your doctor does not think it could possibly be Seroxat that is causing your withdrawal problems then print off the document and take it to him/her.
Sadly, you won't get help from the MHRA or the DoH - you see, it would be too much for them to admit that such a problem has existed and been under their noses for many years.
Kent Woods chooses not to correspond with me - he cannot hide anymore. Something has to be done. The very patients the MHRA claim to safeguard are having serious problems with Seroxat.
The pdf file has been sent to Kent Woods, CEO of the MHRA, it has also been sent to the Communications Officer at the MHRA.
You can download it here.
It makes horrific reading and you can sense the anger in some of the comments.
What makes it more disturbing is the attitude of GlaxoSmithKline CEO, John Paul (ahem) Pierre Garnier. He clearly showed yesterday in his interview with Radio Four's James Naughtie that he does not wish to discuss the problems of Seroxat. (Audio Here)
After reading through all the horrendous withdrawal stories one has to ask oneself if their was ever a motive behind the marketing, promotion and selling of Seroxat [Paxil]?
A couple of possibilities occur to me, at present:
1, GlaxoSmithKline knowingly manufactured, promoted and sold a drug that they knew would cause horrendous withdrawal effects in the consumer
or
2, They never knew - and when they found out they did nothing.
So which one?
Would a huge corporate company promote a drug knowing that it could cause these serious withdrawal effects? Well, if the recent MHRA investigation into GlaxoSmithKline is anything to go by then that is a strong possibility. The MHRA Enforcement Team found that GSK (then SKB) failed to show that Seroxat was effective in treating major depressive disorder in children. A second trial, number 377, was conducted and this also failed to show that Seroxat was effective. Both studies completed towards the end of 1998. SKB made no amendment to the SPC on the basis of these data.
An internal GSK management document (which subsequently came into the public domain) dated October 1998 says that “it would be commercially unacceptable to include a statement that efficacy had not been demonstrated, as this would undermine the profile of paroxetine”.
Now this suggests (1) - GlaxoSmithKline knowingly manufactured, promoted and sold a drug that they knew did not demonstrate efficacy in the consumer. So we can rule out (2) - They never knew - and when they found out they did nothing. (ie, it did suspect that its drug was dangerous and inefficacious, and when it found out, it chose to suppress what it believed to be the case).
Anyone with an ounce of common sense would therefore feel reasonably just to assume that they did exactly the same when promoting and selling Seroxat to adults.
Do we have proof of this?
Well we have proof that GlaxoSmithKline have denied that Seroxat can cause addiction so where does that leave the consumer?
Do we jump to point (1) - GlaxoSmithKline knowingly manufactured, promoted and sold a drug that they knew would cause horrendous withdrawal effects in the consumer? Or do we assume point (2) - They never knew - and when they found out they did nothing?
We have the MHRA in the UK who claim the benefits of taking Seroxat far outweigh the risks - The lists of real peoples stories of the withdrawal problems when trying to taper off Seroxat blows the MHRA statement out of the water - yet they still stand by it.
So we have a pharmaceutical company and a medicine regulator sitting on the same page regarding Seroxat being addictive.. or not as is the case.
Where does the consumer fit in?
Well, it appears that the consumer has no rights. Despite thousands of reports about severe withdrawal problems - GSK and the MHRA stand firm.Consumer reports of adverse reactions appear to be being recycled as toilet paper and used to wipe away human waste from the arses of both GSK and the MHRA. So, the consumer basically has no say in this - He/she can write about their experience of withdrawal on Seroxat but it appears nothing will be done.
Why?
GlaxoSmithKline are a money making machine - let us not lose sight of this fact. They are a business and like all businesses they wish to make money...and lots of it. To admit Seroxat can cause addiction would (in their own words) "be commercially unacceptable" and "would undermine the profile of paroxetine”[Seroxat].
But what of the UK Medicines Regulator? What motive do they have for not accepting patient reports as given? To be honest I'm as baffled as the next man when it comes to the MHRA particularly as they proudly boast on their webpage that their mission is 'Safeguarding public health'. Are they ashamed that they never did anything earlier and to act now would raise questions? Do they not like being told what to do by patients?
There is a clear problem with Seroxat withdrawal that is not listed on the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL). Seroxat CAN seriously cause debilitating side effects so much so that doctors increase the dose rather than taper the patient from it. This causes more serious side effects when the patient tries totaper off at a later date.
Personally, and I can speak from personal experience, Seroxat works in two ways.
1. It masks the feelings of depression
and
2. When trying to withdraw you can get serious problems - to counteract these problems your doctor may up your dosage.
It's a genius piece of product marketing don't you think? The initial illness can always be blamed for the problems one faces when withdrawing from Seroxat - particularly as both GSK and the MHRA stand firm that it is not addictive.
Hats off to the GSK marketing team - they've duped the regulator yet again!
What are the consequences of long-term use of Seroxat?
Nobody knows. I believe that 'Long Term' use would exceed 2 years. If long term use is found to have serious implications for the consumer then GlaxoSmithKline are going to have one hell of a ride over the coming years - and if the MHRA don't act now then they will too.
Fid (Seroxat user for 6 years - took 18 months to taper off a drug that is non-addictive)
Link - Seroxat Withdrawal Complaints
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Monday, May 19, 2008
Garnier's Finest Hour - The Audio
"I wish to complain about this parrot what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique"
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Garnier Walks Out of BBC When pressed about Seroxat
What's it like to be put under undue pressure?
Ask JP Garnier - CEO of GlaxoSmithKline.
On the Today show on BBC's Radio 4 Garnier was pressed to answer questions about Seroxat... what did he do?
Titty tantrum time - He couldn't stand the heat... so walked out!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
On speaking of the MHRA investigation into his company he said:
"They [MHRA] have concluded, by the way, that the company [GSK] didn't do anything wrong"
No?
Excuse me Monsieur Garnier but didn't the MHRA find that your company failed to show that Seroxat was effective in treating major depressive disorder in children?
Didn't they also find that Paxil [Seroxat] Trial 377, was conducted and this also failed to show that Seroxat was effective?
Didn't they find that your company made no amendment to the SPC on the basis of these data?
And what of the internal documents Monsieur Garnier?
Didn't it state... “it would be commercially unacceptable to include a statement that efficacy had not been demonstrated, as this would undermine the profile of paroxetine”?
Yet you go on national radio and say:
"They [MHRA] have concluded, by the way, that the company [GSK] didn't do anything wrong"
You're an absolute legend Monsieur Garnier. Even when your company has been proved to have held back data because it would undermine the profile of the product, you still claim that your company has done nothing wrong!
I have to admit I roared with laughter when I heard Garnier claim his company had been vindicated by the MHRA.
I practically pissed myself laughing when he walked out of the studio when the questioning about Seroxat got too tough for him. At least Glaxo spokesperson, Alistair Benbow, keeps his cool with deluded answers he may or may not have gave in the past!
The point where Garnier threw his dummy out of the pram is better than an episode of Monty Python.
Reporter: On the trials that were done in the 1990's, it's clear that it was on 2003 that the MHRA were shown an analysis of the trials. Have they now seen and can everyone now see that which was withheld in those years and can you say (and I know you are moving on, there is going to be a new head of the company) that in future such information will be available to the those who have to take really quite important decisions about what should be available to the public and what shouldn't?
Garnier: Well, I can't answer such a vague question. I mean this case has been discussed and studied at lengths by the authorities. They are satisfied with their enquiry, their enquiry had a positive conclusion for the company [GSK] ...ERR I think you know you cannot talk about things that complicated in two minutes on an interview but as far as the desire to be transparent, I think our record speaks for itself.
Reporter: So, can you say John Paul Garnier...
Garnier: It's not Jean Paul... it Jean Pierre
Reporter: Sorry. Jean Pierre...
Garnier: Can we move on, I... I have to..
Reporter: This is the last question...
Garnier: I have to tell you that if we are going to talk about [muted laugh] this subject [Seroxat] for ever and ever....
Reporter: No, it's one last question. John Pierre Garnier, let me ask you simply this. When you leave the company do you believe that you are going to leave the company behind you which will.... er let's put it like this, be honest, so that that information which is released, which is asked for that bears....
Garnier: Okay, I'm not interested in answering this question ,we have dealt with this subject. Thank you very much for taking the time to hear about pandemic and I wish you the best. Goodbye.
Reporter: And you. Goodbye.
It's pure comedy genius isn't it?
Here we have the CEO of a pharmaceutical company who firstly denies that his company did anything wrong, then secondly claims that his company's record in their desire to be transparent (and I quote) "speaks for itself"
I guess it probably does because you certainly don't Jean Paul (Ahem) sorry Pierre.
The interview can be heard here. Skip to 1 hour 32, where the Garnier interview begins. Hurry though because I don't think these shows are kept up for too long.
Hat tip: Ed Silverman over at Pharmalot for highlighting this moment of comic genius.
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Ask JP Garnier - CEO of GlaxoSmithKline.
On the Today show on BBC's Radio 4 Garnier was pressed to answer questions about Seroxat... what did he do?
Titty tantrum time - He couldn't stand the heat... so walked out!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
On speaking of the MHRA investigation into his company he said:
"They [MHRA] have concluded, by the way, that the company [GSK] didn't do anything wrong"
No?
Excuse me Monsieur Garnier but didn't the MHRA find that your company failed to show that Seroxat was effective in treating major depressive disorder in children?
Didn't they also find that Paxil [Seroxat] Trial 377, was conducted and this also failed to show that Seroxat was effective?
Didn't they find that your company made no amendment to the SPC on the basis of these data?
And what of the internal documents Monsieur Garnier?
Didn't it state... “it would be commercially unacceptable to include a statement that efficacy had not been demonstrated, as this would undermine the profile of paroxetine”?
Yet you go on national radio and say:
"They [MHRA] have concluded, by the way, that the company [GSK] didn't do anything wrong"
You're an absolute legend Monsieur Garnier. Even when your company has been proved to have held back data because it would undermine the profile of the product, you still claim that your company has done nothing wrong!
I have to admit I roared with laughter when I heard Garnier claim his company had been vindicated by the MHRA.
I practically pissed myself laughing when he walked out of the studio when the questioning about Seroxat got too tough for him. At least Glaxo spokesperson, Alistair Benbow, keeps his cool with deluded answers he may or may not have gave in the past!
The point where Garnier threw his dummy out of the pram is better than an episode of Monty Python.
Reporter: On the trials that were done in the 1990's, it's clear that it was on 2003 that the MHRA were shown an analysis of the trials. Have they now seen and can everyone now see that which was withheld in those years and can you say (and I know you are moving on, there is going to be a new head of the company) that in future such information will be available to the those who have to take really quite important decisions about what should be available to the public and what shouldn't?
Garnier: Well, I can't answer such a vague question. I mean this case has been discussed and studied at lengths by the authorities. They are satisfied with their enquiry, their enquiry had a positive conclusion for the company [GSK] ...ERR I think you know you cannot talk about things that complicated in two minutes on an interview but as far as the desire to be transparent, I think our record speaks for itself.
Reporter: So, can you say John Paul Garnier...
Garnier: It's not Jean Paul... it Jean Pierre
Reporter: Sorry. Jean Pierre...
Garnier: Can we move on, I... I have to..
Reporter: This is the last question...
Garnier: I have to tell you that if we are going to talk about [muted laugh] this subject [Seroxat] for ever and ever....
Reporter: No, it's one last question. John Pierre Garnier, let me ask you simply this. When you leave the company do you believe that you are going to leave the company behind you which will.... er let's put it like this, be honest, so that that information which is released, which is asked for that bears....
Garnier: Okay, I'm not interested in answering this question ,we have dealt with this subject. Thank you very much for taking the time to hear about pandemic and I wish you the best. Goodbye.
Reporter: And you. Goodbye.
It's pure comedy genius isn't it?
Here we have the CEO of a pharmaceutical company who firstly denies that his company did anything wrong, then secondly claims that his company's record in their desire to be transparent (and I quote) "speaks for itself"
I guess it probably does because you certainly don't Jean Paul (Ahem) sorry Pierre.
The interview can be heard here. Skip to 1 hour 32, where the Garnier interview begins. Hurry though because I don't think these shows are kept up for too long.
Hat tip: Ed Silverman over at Pharmalot for highlighting this moment of comic genius.
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Seroxat Withdrawal Reports Part III
The following comments are taken from the current online Paxil Petition, which has been signed by no less than 9,951 people.http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?oky71&9951
Sundee Bickler - Was pulled off paxil cold turkey by my family doctor..had very sever symptoms - Snohomish
Nadine Dolan - I experienced severe withdrawal problems. - USA
Melissa Jacob - I am suffering from nightsweats, electric-shock sensations, suicidal feelings, and extreme mood swings after stopping cold turkey. I had been on 20mg of Paxil for only 6 weeks. - USA
Cynthia J. Dunderman - Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle - I went through hell withdrawing from Paxil. I don't believe my life will ever be the same. - United States of America
Michelle Ballard - I have tried to discontinue my use of paxil but after a month of unbearable withdrawl I started to take it again. I am now scared I will never be able to stop. - USA
David C Hall - Electric shock - Ontario
LISE B. - On Paxil since 3 years because of anxiety . Did good at first but I found out I'm addicted to it when I tried to get off it. The withdrawals effects are so strong - it causes even greater anxiety symptoms than before I started taking the drug . And I gained 30 pounds which doesn't help. - CANADA
Alan Karna - My sister-in-law is suffering severe withdrawl symptoms - United States of America
Suzanne Albert - I have been trying to get off of paxil for over a year and my doctor can't even help me. This drug shoul be banned! I have lost 5 years of my life since I started paxil. No sex drive, no feelings, no nothing. It's not worth living like this!!!!! - USA
Julia Long - Our son, Kenneth, committed suicide in December 2001 after having been on Paxil. We want this drug banned!!! I have heard horror stories over and over from other parents of suicide victims about Paxil! - U.S.A.
Kevin Smylski - Libido destroyed, memory loss, etc - Canada
Angela Juratovac - I have suffered severly due to Paxil. If I had know the truth I would have never started taking it. - Baltimore, Maryland
Anna Makoff - I need the pills yet I hate them. I cannot live without them yet I do not want to rely on them. I have no choice at all. - England
Julie C. Henry - I have had very bad withdrawal symptoms and have tried several times to get off of Paxil, unsucessfully. - USA
Jamie Karna - I had no idea by going on this pill to help with anxiousness during my wedding that six months later I would feel awful....I've been so sick the past month trying to wean off this drug....I don't know what to do. Thank God for the chat rooms and support groups and people I've met. I thought it was just me and my body for about 2 weeks until I typed paxil into a search engine.... - Lansing, MI
Mary Goodwin - This drug is very addictive.My husband gets ill everytime he tries to stop taking it .He said he feels like a heroin addict. - USA
Alicia Salas - GSK, you have made my life a living hell. I have spent the last 1 1/2, living a nightmare due to taking the wonder drug that you call Paxil. You really need to take responsability of the lives that you are ruining by continuing to produce this drug. - USA
Jerry Parrott - I have tried numerous times to quit Paxil, but cannot bear the tremors/anxiety/insomnia that comes after 2 days of not taking Paxil. - USA
Paula McIntosh - I have tried to stop taking Paxil for years. It's time for some accountablilty by SmithKline - USA
Philippe Lavigne-Labelle - Paxil is the worst medication I've ever taken - Québec, Montréal
Jessica A - When I was on Paxil it was a living nightmare I wasnt sleeping normally, loss of feelings, severe mood swings, no urge for sex...Paxil youre history, werent you actually a drug to be used to help smokers quit smoking, Ive studied you in my Psychology class and a lot of my classmates diasaproved of you including my instructor; youre a DANGER to our society! - USA
Mary Turner - I suffered from withdrawl and repeatedly had to increase my dosage while on Paxil. - USA
Greg Clement - Very bad anxiety during withdrawal from only 20mg. - Canada
Carly Toutant - Paxil has taken my life away - USA
April Coburn - This drug is so hard to withdraw from almost impossible - United States
Vickie Burns - I wish I'd never started taking Paxil... - USA
KB - electric zaps to my body have occurred while trying to get off Paxil - Canada
Mila Theroux - former paxil recipiant- experienced many negative affects that have been emotionally damaging - USA
Amy Marie Sawyer-Hammond - I suffered severe withdrawal and still suffer from various problems to this day. I want the tv ads to stop and the public to the know the truth. I would never wish for even my worst enemy to endure what I have had to. - USA
John Alan Doan - This is the most horrible thing I have had done to me. - United States of America
Kelly Browne - I am appalled and unbelivably dissapointed in a system that allows such an unbelievably terrible drug to be administered and prescribed with NO warning to patients. I have been sufferring intense paxil withdrawal symptoms for 6 days now. Constant Naseau, electric shocks, dizziness, an inability to think clearly, vivid terrifying nightmares, heart palpatations, sweaty palms, delayed vision, panic. The list is endless. I would NEVER have taken this drug, which was presecribed for me to treat a mild depression, if I was privy to the hellish symptoms it would cause for me later. - Canada
Judy Clubb - It was hell to withdraw from rhis drug - USA
Liz - ruined almost two years of my life - Canada
Tammy Tate - having withdrawls from paxil went to the doctor last month he gave me atibiotics and dizzy pills made the withdrawls worse went back on paxil for a month ran out again the same thing happeened again i figured out it was the pills doing it - USA
Tina Banker - I am desperately trying to get off of paxil...I have been on it for two years on 20mg dosage/day or lower..mostly only 10mg /day...why on earth should it be so hard to stop taking it???? - USA
Julie A. Blaylock - I thought I was going crazy from the withdrawal symptoms I suffered. - USA
Adrienne - I have never felt more sick, or desperate, in my life. After only 6 months on paxil I am addicted and now experiencing debilitating withdrawal effects. - Canada
Sarah Elliott - Something should be done to stop this drug - going through withdrawal for 6 months now and still not off! (side effects that I was never informed of, oh yes, asked GP for advice on withdrawal...he knew very little but had heard some of the withdrawal methods but I was told "this is a new drug, no-one really knows alot about withdrawal" THANKS TO THE GP WHO ORIGINALLY PRESCRIBED THIS TERRIBLE DRUG. - United Kingdom
Cheryl A Sotelo - For the past 1 and a half years, I have been on Paxil and this is my second time trying to get off. I am under a Dr.'s care, and even so, because of the withdrawl systems, I am having difficulty getting off this medication. - USA
Laura Dunning RN BSN - I just want everyone who preceded me in signing this petition, THANK YOU!! I have some point of closure about what is going on with me. I had been taking varing doses, starting with 20mg daily and over time had to increase it to 40mg. It worked great for me while I was on it for that 18 months. But after the 30# weight gain, I figured it was time to come off, with my Dr's approval. I was told by my MD and pharmacist that a slow weaning over 2 weeks would be just fine. Well, that's a damn lie. I spent the evening in the ER last night for electrical shocks going all over my body, dizziness, numbness, nausea, and worring that I was going to keel over at any momement. They told me I need to have a CT and an MRI of my brain and spine to rule out MS and Spinal Stenosis. Now lets talk about anxiety. After reading everyone's comments, it all hits home. I had quit Paxil 4 days ago, and now I feel like shit. But at least I know why. This is insane! I had done all the reading on Paxil in the drug books and PDR before I started, but nowhere did it state what kind of side-effects there are upon cessation of the med. I only hope this passes quickly and that the loved ones in my life are still there for me after all is said and done. Again, Thank You to every one that sigined before me and good luck to the ones who will sign after me!!! - USA
Beverly Beavers - when i was taken off paxil, my dizziness and confusion was so bad my doctor sent for a brain scan and test. i requested she let me go back on the paxil and as soon as i did the symptoms disapeared. but it was until i got online and discovered to my amazment that others were having the very same symptoms. - Franklin
Corinna M. Teichrib - Prior to my knowledge of "discontinuation syndrome" of Paxil, I have repeatedly tried to come off of Paxil and suffered severe withdrawal symptoms. I have small children and am afraid to come off of Paxil now because of the effects this may have on my family. - Canada
Rob - Thankyou for giving me more problems than i started with!!! - UK
Lowell Hubbs - I seen the Paxil commercials, and was on another prescription drug, and I asked to be swithched to Paxil. I never questioned if Paxil was addictive, was told nothing by my doctor. Reading pharmacy and drug book information, did not say anything about it being habit-forming, nor addictive. After a few months on the drug, I tried going off, cold turkey, and the result was electric zaps throughout my body, mostly my arms and legs, and a strange whoosh-like sound in my head, that every time I moved; it felt like some sort of seizure of brief but repeatative nature. Memory is terrible; that and extreme fatigue, now that I have tapered the dosage to 10 mgs; I am scared of going to 5mgs. I will know later how that turns out. Paxil is a terrrible drug-that I never would have taken, had I known the truth. It is beyond human comprehension, how such lies can be perpetrated on such a large number of people across this entire country; and all in the name of wrongful profit. - S. D.
Gail Conley-Reagan - I have experiened severe withdrawasystoms from Paxil... - USA
Cindy Belzile - I feel very angry and trapped. I'm afraid to stop taking Paxil - Canada
Peg Nolan - Paxil withdrawal was a horrible experience! - USA
Andrea Innes-Michailov - The FDA should answer for its approval of Paxil, the manufacturer lies and says it may cause weight loss, the withdrawal symptoms were INTOLERABLE - USA
Eileen Gallagher - My family recently witnessed the drastic effects Paxil can have on a person. My father was put on Paxil for a mild depression that was diagnosed during a routine physical. My usually energetic, positive-thinking father became withdrawn, tearful, jittery, paranoid, & DEPRESSED within 2 days of taking the 1st Paxil dose. We were shocked and confused at first, thinking that somehow he had suddenly fell into a deep depression. We now realize it was the Paxil. He is off of it now and back to his usual self, and actively getting involved in notifying physicians & the FDA about his experience. It can be a dangerous drug, and should not be prescribed so casually. All my father really needed was some counseling to help him figure out how to handle retirement! - USA
W.R. Sutton - Having tried to get off and failed twice, I am still on Paxil. Not sure if getting off the drug is what I should do, but it is scary. It has been about 7 years now. - USA
Tammy Pennington - I am addicted to paxil and I am very angry to know that I was told it was non addictive; when in fact it is very addictive. I have been on paxil for about 4 years and I know it's side effects and I know that it is addictive. - USA
Glenda Harris - I myself have not taken paxil but my sister n law has. She and I are very close so I have learned alot about this drug and feel this company does not represent the truth behind this drug and it makes me furious to see so many people getting "hooked on this" - USA
Ken Edgeworth - been on it 8 yrs. Tried to quit 5 times - Canada
Nicol Campise - The pamplet states that Paxil is not addicting. If that were true then I would never have felt so miserable when I ceased taking the pill. - USA
Amy R. Jenkins - I thought I would die while withdrawing from Paxil - USA
Angel Baumann - Stopped Paxil when I got pregnant - severe, severe withdrawal symptoms - wish I had been warned! - U.S.A.
Lynn Nirenberg - Paxil withdrawal is a nightmare. - USA
Leslie - I have just started taking this drug a couple of months ago and missed a few doses and experienced many of these side affects - USA
John Hernandez - I'm signing this petition through experience. I suffered extreme withdrawals after coming off the drug. - USA
James Towner - I am a Paxil user and have been dealing with the withdrawl symptoms especially the jolting electric "zaps" which are starting to get worse and more frequent. - United States
Kimberly Cohen - I am having horrible withdrawals getting of Paxil. - United States
CONNIE CONWAY - I'm having problems with the withdrawel and it is addicting - Blue Springs Mo. USA
Scott Winterhoff - The side effects I had on paxil were hellish and trying to ween off it has been even worse. I'm light headed, sick to my stomach, tired, feel like I have the flu every day. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired on this medication - United States
Lisa Williamson - Horrible withdrawal symptoms that mimic depression symptoms resulted in unncessary drug changes and/or increases. My therapist was completely unaware of the "the zaps" and just continued to perscribe yet another SSRI! JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE PROFESSIONALS WITH DEGREES DOES NOT WARRANT OUR COMPLETE COMPLIANCE AS PATIENTS..Ive learned the hard way we must be our own advocates. God Bless All! - Ontario CANADA
Debra A. Butler - I am a therapist who is experiencing withdrawal. Still, I had no idea how debilitating it could be to discontinue with this medication. I am angry that the makers of Paxil and my doctor did not inform me about or help me through symptoms such as "seizure-like" sensations that occur 100's of times daily, nausea, and dizziness. It was only when I went to the internet that I could validate my experience. - USA
Lisa White - suffering from paxil withdrawl - USA
Susan Shaner - Xannax was a piece of cake to get off of. Paxil is IMPOSSIBLE - USA
Patricia D. Gibson - I have been suffering severe withdrawals from paxil for over a year...of hell - Virginia Beach, Virginia
Helen Bakaszynsky - I have been taking paxil since 1999, although intially very happy with how it helped me cope with my depression, I have been unable to stop takin it due to the severe and distrurbing withdrawal symptoms. My doctor has been of little help in this respect and can't even accept there are side effects. I will try again knowing this time, that these awful feelings are due to the drug that I was told would help me get better. - UK
Alain de Zilva - I have been weaning down the paxil for 4 months now, each one worse that the last. SKB lies in their TV ads for paxil... Paxil is habit forming! and the withdrawals are worse than the original problem... - Canada
Trisha Spinelli - Been off Paxil 4+ years and still suffering from side effects. I had none of these neurological problems prior to taking this poison. And I was only on it a little over 3 months. GSK is shameless for lying about the dangers of this drug. - USA
Janaki Kagel - It is very important to be upfront about possible addiction... I had a withdrawl episode and almost ended up in a mental institution. I was on the floor, shaking and crying. It was the single most horrible experience of my life. I would not wish it upon anybody, and i doubt that you would either. If I had known that that sort of thing might happen, I would still have chosen to go on the drug, but I would have been much more careful about taking the drug acurately and weening off of it correctly. - US
Sue Mason - I have been trying to get off PAXIL for about a year with no success so far. - USA
T. Anderson - Definitely is an addictive drug as I have had to increase my dosage each year (over almost 9 years) to get the same effect ... and have extreme side effects when increasing or decreasing dosages. - Washington County, Oregon
Joyce Papania - my daugher has been on Paxil for about 5 years now. We have tried a few times to wean her down or off Paxil and she winds up having severe anxiety attacks. If I had known this, Paxil would not be in her system now. The doctors don't tell you that this drug is not easy to come off of. My daughter is tired all the time, does not have normal bowel movements like she used to, and in general, totally dependant on Paxil. This should be against the law. - Los Angeles
Karen - I am addicted and need help! - USA
Gloria Herrick - Have been on Paxil for 1 1/2 months and tried to quit. Had seriously bad headaches and found the Paxil Database. All this garbage scared the hell out of me, so I started taking it again. The headache went away and hasn't came back. So I know it was because of the Paxil. Now I don't know what the hell I'm going to do. Scared out of my mind! - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Patrice L. Schaff - Was prescribed Paxil for 8 years. Doctors did not believe that I was going thru withdraw every time I tried to wean myself from it! - USA
Liliane M. Lykes - Horrible effects from withdrawal - USA
Greg Baird - I have never taken drugs prior to use of paxil for treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder. I'm absolutely amazed that while this drug was very effective in relieving my symptoms, I'm particularly distressed and amazed at how miserable the withdrawal symptoms are after discontinuing it. I take particular exception to your company's suggestion that only drug abusers are likely to experience these horrible side effects of discontinuation. I am considering legal action. - USA
Lori Hurd - My doctor does not believe me when I tell him I suffer because of the withdrawals from Paxil. He tells me that I must "need" the Paxil. I am a very healthy person otherwise, not ever addicted to anything. This drug definitely has very FRIGHTENING withdrawal symptoms. I do not like to idea of being on medication for the rest of my life needlessly. - United States of America
Ronald F. Welch - Have tried for 5 1/2 years to quit, Can't ! - USA
Rosalind Gaines - became phyically ill on paxil for five years - U.S.A
Donovan - Still suffering 2 months later - Canada
Jackie Miller - My 14 year old son is on Paxil and the withdrawal has been a nightmare, so much so that I have put him back on it! I can't bear to watch him suffer through his withdrawal. It's truly been a nightmare... - USA
Wayne Gernon - Attempted 4 times to get off of drugs. Been on it for 5 years - United States
Dan Spinale - have been on paxil for 6 years, tried to get off 3 times, am trying again but having bad withdrawals - USA
Jessica A. Stewart - I started taking paxil in1997.60mgs.Then when summer would come the doctor would drop the dosage to 40mgs. because of the reaction I would suffer from the heat. this went on for 5 years.Till Oct. 2001, when I started to have an allergic reaction to paxil.Nov. 17 2001 , my doctor just cold turkey me off of it. 7 weeks of pure hell. and that is being nice about it. I felt as though I was going insane. There were times that I could not even get out of bed, or eat. Christmas was not very merry for me or anyone around me. I wish that someone would have told me what kind of hell I was in store for, before I ever took that frist dose of paxil.I wonder if it really helped my panic attacks, anxeity attacks or not. I seem to be doing better since I have stop taking paxil. - USA.
Zoe - It will ruin my life, I can not come of them and want answers. - Hertfordshire, England
Mary Grovers - Have had horrible side effects trying to get off Paxil; and have been denied insurance because I'm on it - Trinity County, CA
Ramona Jenson - I am outraged that a company has mislead so many doctors and patientss for what was for them a great financial gain. I want to make them sorry they ever withheld information, and yes I want them to pay for their wrong doings. This sight has helped me to know that others have experienced what I am experiencing right now and are still there to tell about it. The nuerological effects of going off paxil are unimagineable. The doctors tested me for all sorts of spinal cord problems and nuerological diseases before the neurologist finally went online and found out that a withdrawal symptom of paxil was tingling. I have numbness of my hands, feet, and mouth. The tingling associated with this seems to cover my whole body much of the time, and it feels as though I am at the dentist receiving nitrus oxide for dental work. The past week I have had clicks and zaps in my hands and wrists. After sleeping for a couple of hours I wake up with my legs feeling so asleep that I have to hold onto things to make sure I can walk. My hands are normally either freezing cold or feel like they are burning up. I have tinkling in my nose which is enough to make me feel like screaming, but I don't. My mouth feels as though I am constantly sucking on sucrets, yet at the same time it is soar and very dry. I am eating, but only do so because I know I have to because I am a diabetic. I really don't feel like eating. These symptoms are real. The paxil medication is the cause for them. Three doctors and five office visits passed before a physician even knew why I was having these symptoms, yet at every visit I asked, "Could it have anything to do with my decrease in paxil?" In fact, they even allowed me to quit the paxil because of the dry mouth. They were unaware of the addiction paxil causes. I hope to God that I can get through this without taking another paxil tablet again. As the numbness and tingling continue to get worse, I am scared of what it will feel like when/if the intense feelings of numbness and tingling I have on my hands and feet cover my entire body. I am angry at the makers of paxil! - USA
Sabrina Rankin - It took me over 4 months to get off paxil and I still have side effects. - USA
Paulette Kinder - Trying to get off of this drug is horrible had i known I would have never even started it. - U.S.A
Alison Thomas - withdrawal from paxil - headaches - passed out - zaps in brain- foggy head - Canada
Tony Harper - I was not informed how difficult it is to stop taking Paxil. It is worse than the anxiety attacks! - USA
Alice M. Kratz - Withdrawal symtoms are awful - USA
Amy DiTrani - Have been on Paxil for 2 years, have gone through withdrawal hell when my prescription ran out, and thought i was crazy since i hadn't known that withdrawal was a possibility... now am weaning myself off, but withdrawal has started again, even though i have been decreasing the dosage by 5mgs... so even weaning can cause withdrawal... i am dizzy, if i move my eyes too much i feel like i am going to fall over, so disoriented... non-habit forming, my ass... i hate paxil... if i had known i would have never gone on it... i am just scared that the withdrawal is going to get so bad, i am going to give up and go back on it... it is a vicious circle... and i can't believe that the drug manufacturers can blatantly lie about all this.. it makes me sick... - USA
Katrina Marlowe - I have been off paxil for 1 week, and the withdrawal symptoms are so severe, I can't carry on normal life, and have even been to ER because of it. - USA
Jeffrey Hutchinson - severe memory loss and confusion on Paxil, depression and psychosis during withdrawal. I started the drug again and am about to try to get off of it again. - US
Peter Belfield - I have been taking Seroxat 20mg/day for 4 months, and this week I halved the dose. The consequences were distressing nightmares, violent thoughts, severe dizziness and nausea. I am off work with this, and I read the patient information leaflet that says"you cannot be addicted to Seroxat". I think something is severely wrong as I wouldn't have taken the drug if I knew the withdrawal is as bad as this. - England
Emma Mace - i am withdrawing now and it is very scary -Australia
Larry W. Collier - I am having the same side effects while trying to get off of Paxil that I read about on the internet that everyone else is having. That is why I searched the net to see if it was just me. The doctor said that Paxil wasn't habit forming but failed to mention the problems associated with discontinuing the drug. - USA
Kristin Monesmith - I have never been addicted to anything in my life but Paxil and I want off it!!!!!! - USA
Lisa Rizzi - I have had major side effects from paxil. I am not depressed but have had a problem with anxiety and now I have nightmares, dizzieness, fatigue, headaches, blurred vision, hallucination of movement, neck pain, gastroenteritis, extreme ear pain, problems breathing and very upsetting heart spasms and so on. I live in fear of withdrawls and I feel as though Paxil hasn't helped me calm down but it has made my body sick and weak. I had to drop out of college and quit my job because I couldn't even see straight. I am 19 years old and I can't tell myself that it is going to be alright. - Canada
Mary J. Ryan - My MD advised me to taper from 20mg to 10 mg to nothing. I am experiencing extremely uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms that I have just realized are attribuatble to my discontinuance of this drug. More public information and caution must be exercised regrading stopping Paxil - United States of America
Wendy Fiolek - I went on Paxil for a month for depression and anxiety. Actually my doctor had discussed me going off and I was against it because I worried about withdrawl symptoms. Then I discovered that I was bipolar and couldn't stay on Paxil and I was on a pretty high dosage - 40 mg a day. My doctor told me to stop immediately and I started Depakote. I was only off one night and I couldn't believe the symptoms I had. Horrible insomnia, the most violent nightmares I have ever had, my leg and arms were jerking involuntarily, and the most disturbing which I had read about was that I had this buzzing inside of my head and ears like a zap or like I was being shocked and I was afraid it wouldn't stop. I hope Paxil is taking off the market. It isn't at all what it is cracked up to be and I would tell anyone not to go on it. - USA
Paula G - 3 months into Seroxat cold turkey and things are getting even worse. Thank You GSK for your corruption and deceipt. - Wales UK
John S. Sindoni - Very uncomfortable and frightening withdrawal symptoms - United States
Jennifer Foley - trying very hard to get through, it's hell.. week 7 - Ontario, Canada
Skye Zamalloa - I have taken paxil for three years, complications were ignored by my psychiatrist and I was told to add an anti-psychotic to my Paxil-Klonopin cocktail. I have been trying to get through the horrible withdrawal for over a year. The withdrawal symptoms are so unbearable one continues taking the medicine for relief. How is this anything but capitalist controlled drug-dependency? - USA
Joy Pow - this has been the worst thing I have ever gone through - the withdrawal side effects are still going on and it has been months. - Canada
Laura Egan - Paxil withdrawal sufferer for over 4 months - USA
Peggy MacPhie - Having been on the drug for a month and a half and gone off the drug I can tell you that the long term side effects are a lot more severe than the reason I went on the drug to begin with. - Canada
John Warner - Living Hell since off Paxil 6 days ago - Canada
Vanessa Hawkins - I have been on this drug for a little over a year and now want to get off of it, I have had all of the side effects from coming off this drug after you advertise that it is not addictive and there are no effects - United States
Amanda Thomas - Have tried to get off of Paxil three times, the "zaps" are really annoying and you do feel like you are "floating around" I figured too, that I needed the drug since I had those withdrawal symptoms. Now I am scared since I have learned that I am addicted to this drug. May God help us all recover from this. - United States
Theresa M. Saik - The side-effects of withdrawal really stink. It has truly affected my happy and calm disposition. The zap sensation is the worst I have ever experienced. I truly believe doctors should be better informed as to the side-effects of withdrawal. - USA
Renny C. Smith - I was only on Paxil for 3 weeks (max. dose of 30 mg.) I didn't like the way it made me feel like a zombie, so I tapered off over 1 week. 3 days after my last dose, my hellish nightmare of withdrawal began. It's been a week now and I am still suffering from "zaps", occular migraines, vertigo, nausea, fever and chills. How can Dr.'s prescribe this drug without mentioning these horrificly dangerous withdrawal symptoms? The Dr's don't know nearly enough about this drug to be prescribing it. I hope my hell is over soon! - USA
Cheryl Maggs - To think I trusted the words of a psychiatrist and let him put my already disabled (aarskog syndrome & autistic/pdd)13 yr. old son on 30 mg of paxil for treatment of panic disorder, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Not only did I demand to have him weaned off this drug because he demonstrated serious and dangerous behaviourial issues both at school and home where safety was an issue for himself and others, little did i know what was ahead for him coming off this paxil poison. As I write this, this poor child is having headaches, dizziness, nightmares, nightsweats, flu like achiness all over his body, bouts of crying, moaning and groaning, extreme nervousness and anxiety, sleeplessness, and gastric problems. Today, he told me he felt like dying. All this is happening because I trusted a Dr. of Psychiatry with my child who told me that Paxil didn't have as many side effects as other medications. I, as a parent, am feeling guilty for administering such a drug to my child who trusts me to protect him always, but I am also extremely angry at the producers of this horrible drug who did not issue label warnings of addictiveness and extreme mood changes and at the FDA for allowing such a drug on the market. Someone needs to pay for this gross deceit to the public!!! My son and our family have been to hell and back for the past six (6) months and I pray that there will be an end to this nightmare for my innocent son who does not understand what is happening to him or his body. My son or I do not sleep at night....DO YOU SMITHKLINE BEECHAM AND PAXIL??? (Just an FYI....The Psychiatrist told me to cut his dosage from 30 mg to 15 mg and after 6 days of doing this, he advised me to stop giving him the Paxil completely and within 2 days the withdrawals began) Signed, a seriously concerned loving Mother speaking for a child who can't speak for himself :( - United States
Jacquie Coghill - getting off these pills is tearing my life apart - Canada
Jan Gordon - This medication has caused me to grind my teeth. I feel nausea, headachey, shivery, and generally unwell when I try to go for more than two days without this. - UK
Michael K. Piper - I am horrified to only now be finding out the reality of the major withdrawl synptoms of Paxil. I have only been on the medication, at merely a 20mg/day dose mind you, for approximately 5 months. I saw absolutlely no change whatsoever in my original symptoms, so I decided to quit taking Paxil. My physician even stated that I should have no problem quitting bieng that my dosage was so low. Little did he know. I hope my name appearing on this petition along with the others helps to resolve this matter for the benefit of those like me who are going through the HELL of Paxil withdrawl. - USA
Wayne Gernon - Attempted 4 times to get off of drugs. Been on it for 5 years - United States
A. Merlo - Withdrawal has been agonizing - was not informed at all of addicitve properties. My body feels permanently altered. - Canada
Nicole - This drug is ruining my life, and it is very hard to get off! - USA
Sandra Jean Mitchell - My depression was the result of the Medical Communities incompetence. I was diagnosed as psychosomatic.They offered Paxil or forcible hospitalization. A year later, a neurophychologist discovered I was not crazy, but inflicted with Lyme Disease. With Paxil, I now have more physical and mental problems then I began with and if not more hopeless, still depressed. In order for you to know what I experience when I even forget to take my 20 mg Paxil each day; turn on a table lamp, take out the light bulb and stick your finger inside the socket till you experience the shock. Take it out and put it back in, take it out, put it back in. . ect. Better yet, get a lamp for each hand and remember to do it always, no breaks allowed. How long can you take it? Those of us on Paxil, who experience this side effects, just have to take it. The choice is Paxil or the shocks. This just the beginning. After you get through the physical shocks, there is a whole realm of other side effects just as disturbing. - United States
Deb La Plante - I took Paxil for 5 days and hated how I felt, so quit taking it. The next 12 - 14 days were a living hell. I've NEVER been so sick in my whole life and contemplated suicide during that time. Paxil and other SSRIs are a true load of crap, a dangerous load. GSK owes us all, BIG TIME! They're lying, cheating, drug dealing criminals, who don't give a crap who they make suffer as long as they're making a lot of money. - USA
John Simmons - My 1st wife and I were prescribed paroxetine in 1991. She committed suicide in 1991 and I am still on the tablets 11 years later. Cannot get off having tried many times. - UK
Gina Giaccotto - I take Paxil-and stopped taking it for 3 days about 2 months ago-Had terrible withdrawel symptoms, so I started taking it again. - USA
Beth Vedder - I am having horrible problems withdrawing from this drug! - USA
David Dalton - I have watched my partner going through hell and it still isn't over. I have seen the suffering her friends, on support boards and in emails, are going through either from taking Seroxat or by losing children through this drug. The death and suffering caused to what were once vital, happy, loving and loved members of the human race by self-seeking people in search of power and money fills me with utter revulsion. - UK (Wales)
Laurie Groshong - The withdrawls are horrible - U.S.A.
Dan Spinale - have been on paxil 8 years, severe withdrawal symptoms - USA
Scott Kennedy - Paxil withdrawal was the worst few months of my life. -USA
Leigh Sobhani - I have never taken any illegal drugs and don't drink alcohol, and my distress at having been unwittingly prescribed an addictive drug (my experiences now of unsuccessful withdrawal, side affects and relapse have convinced me of the addictive nature of Paroxetine) are totally unjustifiable. I have lost 2 years of my life to the ups and downs of Paroxetine (I am now 25ys old) and don't want to see others being deceived in the same way. - United Kingdom
T. Billings - After several unsuccessful attempts to get off Paxil, I cannot believe that SKB has the nerve to promote Paxil as non-habit forming. I have personally called the company and told them of the difficulty in getting off this drug as have many, many others. You people continue to lie about the addictive quality of the drug you make and cause unbelievable damage in the lives of those who trust you. This suffering is all in the name of money. How incredibly selfish and cruel!!!!! I will, from this day forward, always ask the physcian what company makes the drug he/she is giving me, and if the answer is SKB, I will refuse. I DO NOT trust you. You continue to lie about your product to innocent people. I will never buy a product associated with SKB again for the rest of my life!!!! - USA
Jacquelyn A. Penczek - I went off Paxil slowly a year ago..now I'm back on it. I've learned that unless I want to go through foul side effects, I might be taking it for the rest of my life. Is that what the company wanted in the first place? - USA
Thomas Donahue - I can't even shake the problem of comming off paxil I have a bad headache and I feel like I am going to pass out so I have to take another Paxil to try and rid my body of this awful feeling.I feel like a junky and cannot stand to live my life like this. - U S A
TJ Meadows - I was one of these users of paxil and I am still suffering from side effects after 2 months when I stopped useing it. - USA
Ani Desilets - I went through hell trying to get off it so I am back on it ..........no withdrawl or non-habit forming what a lie - USA
Kit Wong - Paxil is 100% addictive - US
Cheryl Blauvelt - Horrible withdrawal, felt suicidal - USA
Kelly S. Madsen - Paxil is the single worst thing that has happened to me in all 36 years of my life! It should be removed from the market! - United States
Megan Leonard - paxil withdrawls are extreme! - United States
Lisa Clifford - This drug is addictive and has been a nightmare to get off... AND it put 50 pounds on me...somehting the doctors said COULDNT happen......go figure. - USA
Mark E. Riensche - Its over - I'm free of your drug - after four years and numerous attempts to stop I finally was able to make the break. It took me three and a half months of weaning to get from 40mg to 1mg. I thought I was stuck, then read about 5-HTP (griffen bean extract). Stopped Paxil and substituted a 50mg of 5-HTP to counteract the withdrawal symptoms. Its over. Finally, its over. To my fellow petitioners, there is hope. PS: File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, it the right thing to do. - USA
Elizabeth A. Reed - serious withdraw complications - USA
Lois Sales - have tried to get off of this several times. each time I thought I was going to die, I was so sick. I had to keep taking it! I am trying to get off it again. This time I will scratch off a little bit more each day with a knife, hoping that maybe in four to six months I will be off this stuff. - USA
Kathleen Edgett - Been addicted for 6 years Lost Jobs from missed work trying to get off this crap, mislead into beleiving it was safe and non addictive, even have taken it during pregnacy as apparantly safe. - Canada
Andrea Bishop - Would never have started taking this medication if I had known how it would effect me when I stopped taking it. How dare you falsley market this medicine and ignore the people you are supposedly trying to help. - USA
Fiona Wilde - I'm signing this in the hope that this drug eventually gets taken off the market and other people will be spared what I have gone through with this horrendous drug. - UK
Carolyn Griffin - addict to paxil also shocks my brain - USA
Angela M. Smith - Shy 18-year-old, who saw ad on t.v. for social anxiety disorder, received 1 months supply of Paxil with six refills, no warnings of side effects, had Rx within a 3 minute visit with doctor. Paxil sent to me HELL. This medicine is worse than any "street drug" could possibly be. SKB should be held accountable for my misery. - USA
Sarah M. - My 16 year old brother murdered a friend after being on Paxil for only 6 weeks. He recently got sentenced to 70 years in prison (he is now 17)!!! My family and friends are completely shocked and many psychiatrist's witnessed (under oath) during his trial that there were no known negaive side effects. My family and I want justice!! This horrible drug,and many other SSRI's need to be taken off the market before someone else ruins their life! - USA
Melanie Harrison - I get "head zaps," headaches, heart palpitations, tight chest, confusion and dizziness if I forget to take my pill for just one day - USA
N.Perales - This Drug has put me threw a living Hell.. My life sucks people I Love are suffering with me ... SmithKline Beecham should take a piece of there own crappy pink drugs and have them taken away and see how they cope with no paxil... no sleep... no memory... and most of all the loss of lives from people who ave acted on there anger from this drug and not understanding to those who have hurt themselves because of this poison you all so much recommend and say that it is not habit forming when in fact it is just as bad as any drug they sell in the streets......... HOW COULD YOU EVEN SLEEP AT NIGHT))))LOSERS... I hope you get yours.......... - USA
Phil Torres - paxil is the key that breaks in the lock. - USA
Carrie A. Blouin - Have used Paxil for 3 years at 30mg, was never told of side effects and am currently suffering from withdrawal symptoms - United States
Ramon R Jaraba RN - Will never take this med again - been on it for 5 yearss - Riverside, Ca
Lowell Hubbs - I think the greatest disservice GSK did, was to falsely claim only drug addicts and the like, could get hooked on, or for only such poeple could paxil become habit forming? So, all these people having signed this petion, are drug addicts? For one, I am not! The first 6 months I took Paxil, it seemed to work well for the stress related anxiety I was prescribed for. the TV comercials bragged it up as good for such a condition, and being non habit forming; LIERS!!! My doctor never informed me of severe withdrawal I may experiance, or when I should get off the drug, basically prescribed more sample, by phoning his nurses. After six months, I tried to go off cold turkey; after four days had severe shock waves in my brain, body, and up and down my legs. Zapping was so severe, I could hardly hold my eyes open; to sit still, with your eyes shut was the best. Paxil; non habit forming??? I then went back on 20mg. and proceeded down to 10, 5, and the 0. over 4 months time; each step was hell; with more of the same, no sleep, just nightmares, migraines I never had before. Each step down, after a couple days, I had to return to the previous dosage, and start over back down, because the brainzapping/ body pulsing, and near inability to function and concentrate, were gone; I could not stay at work, without more drug. I was continually late for work; could not wake up; was no exhausted. I nearly lost my job. now after 4 months I am off Paxil for 20 days; and still from time to time I am getting brain zaps and whooshing sounds in my ears and head; at time it feels like someone pumped my head full of air; my balance and coordination are off- to the point it is hard to work, also. When I read the article on the 3 part article on the pineal gland, on www. antidepressants facts .com, it is clear that Paxil causes brain damage, thanks so much, GSK, and being Paxil has such a short half life, about 4 days, it seems; these results of my experiance can be looked at as nothong but possible brain damage, my brain is still trying to find ways to compensate for. Now, after 20 days, I am developing sever panic attackson awaking in the morning, that I had not before. What do I do now; go get myself hooked on more Xanax? I believe all SSRI drugs are dangerous; and Paxil is the worst. What about the violent anger,and frustration this drug produces?This is a treatment that makes people better able to function in life? It is biggest lie ever told; for profit of the already rich, to get richer! GSK, I hope that when all the lawsuits are completed, you no longer exist, to harm anyone else; it can not come soon enough! GSK, feel free to email me at cornfieldmn@yahoo.com, and that with any appoligy you have the balls to make! Again I ask you in top management to please take your own poison, for 6 months, an then go off cold turkey; or even wean off slowly, maybe you would have an attitude adjustment!!! Profits will mean nothing, when you get to the end of your life; and you have to answer for the pain you have caused. I hope you are made to experiance the agony, times 1000, the people that have signed this petion, have felt! - USA
Sherri Kern - i had the worst withdrawls!!!!!!! - USA
Donna Wagner - I'm addicted to Paxil and cannot get off of it. - United States
Joanne - I have decreased my paxil only by 5mg, and I have not slept in six days. I had to be prescribed sleeping pills to knock me out. I am missing work because as you can imagine it is hard to function without sleep. Are you going to pay for my time away from work? Not likely! - Canada
Terry T. Holland - I am addicted to this heinous drug. - USA
Leigh Simmons - I have had enough of Paxil and will come off of it if it kills me. I am missing work, my blood pressure is dangerously up and I can hardly think or walk due to withdrawal. I need help coming off of this and there is no help. The doctor just wants me to keep taking it -sounds addictive to me. - USA
David Stec - Withdrawl symptoms are horrible - USA
Susan Kirth - I have never been dependent on any drugs, but now Paxil has me in bondage. Can not get off of it. Effects too devastating to day-to-day living. - USA
Mary - I am 19 and have been on Paxil for 4 years now. I want to get off of this, but I can't, the pain is too terrible. Major headaches, vomiting, and more. NOTHING relieves the pain, even extra-strength pain killers don't help at all. The only way to get any relief is to take more Paxil and curl up and lay in bed. - New York, USA
Lori Kerwin - I too suffered an extreme withdrawal period where I thought I was going to die and was not warned of the potential "melt down" that can occur. I was informed afterward by my health care provider that "seratonin syndrome" was the culprit and that indeed the blood pressure raises, temp raises and you become at an increased risk for serious health complications. I did not read any of this on the insert and have been a family practice nurse for 8 years. I think the public has a right to know. - Bentobn
Amy DuBiel - I have been trying to get off this drug for some time. I would like to thank skb for all my night sweats, vomiting, headaches, and a whole lot more. Your so-called take my life back drug has really just ruined my life. Thanks for nothing. - USA
Vicky Nickerson - I just don't understand why I have to take this for the rest of my life. I'm only 33 , i'm to young to be taking medication everyday. - US
Margaret A. Hoyland - My son was placed on it for two weeks, I took him off of it because the mania and mood swings/irrational thinking were worse than ever. He also has loss of concentration, insomnia and sedation. Restlessness and nervousness. Very bad situation with this . Would not recommend any one ever be prescribed this again. - USA
Chanda Grace - i have been on paxil and extremly sick from it for quite some time.I have never abused drugs or achohol and i have had a terrible time trying to get off paxil - USA
Birte Petersen - I took Paxil for a year until it started to interact with another prescription I had to take. The result was frightening and not knowing that Paxil was habit forming, I decided to quit cold turkey. My problem disappeared almost immediately, however after a week the withdrawal symptoms set in. I experienced severe anxiety attacks, insomnia, nausea and I feared for my sanity. Today 7 months after quitting Paxil, I still suffer from anxiety attacks, although to a lessor degree and I agree that Paxil is a very dangerous medication and it should be taken off the market immediately. - Canada
Gerard Lismore - I am quitting Paxil cold turkey after 13 months .I sweat ,cant contentrate ,have tremors , am sick of nausia and am trying to cope wiyh a wife who does not understand. ITS killing me - Canada
MELISSA RIDENOUR - I am having severe problems w/ Paxil - USA
Cheryl G - My confusion and fear has been replaced with anger and bitterness!! I DARE any of the so-called "experts" to use this heinous product and report with a straight face that there are minimal side effects and withdrawl symptoms. Life is living hell right now but the will is strong - we WILL make you listen! - USA
BOB FIDDAMAN - Zaps are a major concern. Why do the makers off this drug fail to acknowledge that they exist? - UK
Aleta Pringle - paxil has ruined my life. - USA
Sheri Sparks - I hate this medication and am desperately trying to get off. - United States of America
Darren K. Green - Severe withdrawal effects - USA
Sherry Stephens - I am suffering from withdrawal beyond belief, and this is with gradual cutting down! - USA
Gina Zdanowicz - I was prescribed Paxil for my reaction to being outside the WTC when the attacks occured. It did help me get past those fears and control the anxiety but when I stopped taking it I had a bad withdrawl that lasted for 4 weeks. I was not informed of this before hand. - USA
Elaine Kissane - I'm just beginning the withdrawl process,so far it's been really hard.I feel that if I knew how bad it would be to get off Paxil,I never would have begun it!Also,my therapist is under the false impression that the only withdrawl symptom is flu-like symptoms. - USA
Misty D. Gilbert - I fought the adverse affects of Paxil for almost 2 years. I became severely depressed & suicidal near my second year on Paxil. This is a very dangerous drug and needs to be taken off of the market completely. - United States
Kim Nikbin - Please help with facts for withdrawal I cannot miss anymore work and I have to have a hysterectonomy May 9. HELP - USA
William T. Watkins - This medication has debilitated the one I love. She has been trying to withdraw from this medication, and it breaks my heart to watch her suffer so badly. Something must be done. - USA
Colleen L. Campbell - I have been experiencing absolutely debilitating withdrawal side-effects from this horrible medication. No one ever told me of this danger, in fact, many healthcare professionals lied right to my face. I have been suffering from withdrawal for over 30 days and have not been able to work. People must know about these dangers. - USA
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
PAPERBACK COMING SOON
Sundee Bickler - Was pulled off paxil cold turkey by my family doctor..had very sever symptoms - Snohomish
Nadine Dolan - I experienced severe withdrawal problems. - USA
Melissa Jacob - I am suffering from nightsweats, electric-shock sensations, suicidal feelings, and extreme mood swings after stopping cold turkey. I had been on 20mg of Paxil for only 6 weeks. - USA
Cynthia J. Dunderman - Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle - I went through hell withdrawing from Paxil. I don't believe my life will ever be the same. - United States of America
Michelle Ballard - I have tried to discontinue my use of paxil but after a month of unbearable withdrawl I started to take it again. I am now scared I will never be able to stop. - USA
David C Hall - Electric shock - Ontario
LISE B. - On Paxil since 3 years because of anxiety . Did good at first but I found out I'm addicted to it when I tried to get off it. The withdrawals effects are so strong - it causes even greater anxiety symptoms than before I started taking the drug . And I gained 30 pounds which doesn't help. - CANADA
Alan Karna - My sister-in-law is suffering severe withdrawl symptoms - United States of America
Suzanne Albert - I have been trying to get off of paxil for over a year and my doctor can't even help me. This drug shoul be banned! I have lost 5 years of my life since I started paxil. No sex drive, no feelings, no nothing. It's not worth living like this!!!!! - USA
Julia Long - Our son, Kenneth, committed suicide in December 2001 after having been on Paxil. We want this drug banned!!! I have heard horror stories over and over from other parents of suicide victims about Paxil! - U.S.A.
Kevin Smylski - Libido destroyed, memory loss, etc - Canada
Angela Juratovac - I have suffered severly due to Paxil. If I had know the truth I would have never started taking it. - Baltimore, Maryland
Anna Makoff - I need the pills yet I hate them. I cannot live without them yet I do not want to rely on them. I have no choice at all. - England
Julie C. Henry - I have had very bad withdrawal symptoms and have tried several times to get off of Paxil, unsucessfully. - USA
Jamie Karna - I had no idea by going on this pill to help with anxiousness during my wedding that six months later I would feel awful....I've been so sick the past month trying to wean off this drug....I don't know what to do. Thank God for the chat rooms and support groups and people I've met. I thought it was just me and my body for about 2 weeks until I typed paxil into a search engine.... - Lansing, MI
Mary Goodwin - This drug is very addictive.My husband gets ill everytime he tries to stop taking it .He said he feels like a heroin addict. - USA
Alicia Salas - GSK, you have made my life a living hell. I have spent the last 1 1/2, living a nightmare due to taking the wonder drug that you call Paxil. You really need to take responsability of the lives that you are ruining by continuing to produce this drug. - USA
Jerry Parrott - I have tried numerous times to quit Paxil, but cannot bear the tremors/anxiety/insomnia that comes after 2 days of not taking Paxil. - USA
Paula McIntosh - I have tried to stop taking Paxil for years. It's time for some accountablilty by SmithKline - USA
Philippe Lavigne-Labelle - Paxil is the worst medication I've ever taken - Québec, Montréal
Jessica A - When I was on Paxil it was a living nightmare I wasnt sleeping normally, loss of feelings, severe mood swings, no urge for sex...Paxil youre history, werent you actually a drug to be used to help smokers quit smoking, Ive studied you in my Psychology class and a lot of my classmates diasaproved of you including my instructor; youre a DANGER to our society! - USA
Mary Turner - I suffered from withdrawl and repeatedly had to increase my dosage while on Paxil. - USA
Greg Clement - Very bad anxiety during withdrawal from only 20mg. - Canada
Carly Toutant - Paxil has taken my life away - USA
April Coburn - This drug is so hard to withdraw from almost impossible - United States
Vickie Burns - I wish I'd never started taking Paxil... - USA
KB - electric zaps to my body have occurred while trying to get off Paxil - Canada
Mila Theroux - former paxil recipiant- experienced many negative affects that have been emotionally damaging - USA
Amy Marie Sawyer-Hammond - I suffered severe withdrawal and still suffer from various problems to this day. I want the tv ads to stop and the public to the know the truth. I would never wish for even my worst enemy to endure what I have had to. - USA
John Alan Doan - This is the most horrible thing I have had done to me. - United States of America
Kelly Browne - I am appalled and unbelivably dissapointed in a system that allows such an unbelievably terrible drug to be administered and prescribed with NO warning to patients. I have been sufferring intense paxil withdrawal symptoms for 6 days now. Constant Naseau, electric shocks, dizziness, an inability to think clearly, vivid terrifying nightmares, heart palpatations, sweaty palms, delayed vision, panic. The list is endless. I would NEVER have taken this drug, which was presecribed for me to treat a mild depression, if I was privy to the hellish symptoms it would cause for me later. - Canada
Judy Clubb - It was hell to withdraw from rhis drug - USA
Liz - ruined almost two years of my life - Canada
Tammy Tate - having withdrawls from paxil went to the doctor last month he gave me atibiotics and dizzy pills made the withdrawls worse went back on paxil for a month ran out again the same thing happeened again i figured out it was the pills doing it - USA
Tina Banker - I am desperately trying to get off of paxil...I have been on it for two years on 20mg dosage/day or lower..mostly only 10mg /day...why on earth should it be so hard to stop taking it???? - USA
Julie A. Blaylock - I thought I was going crazy from the withdrawal symptoms I suffered. - USA
Adrienne - I have never felt more sick, or desperate, in my life. After only 6 months on paxil I am addicted and now experiencing debilitating withdrawal effects. - Canada
Sarah Elliott - Something should be done to stop this drug - going through withdrawal for 6 months now and still not off! (side effects that I was never informed of, oh yes, asked GP for advice on withdrawal...he knew very little but had heard some of the withdrawal methods but I was told "this is a new drug, no-one really knows alot about withdrawal" THANKS TO THE GP WHO ORIGINALLY PRESCRIBED THIS TERRIBLE DRUG. - United Kingdom
Cheryl A Sotelo - For the past 1 and a half years, I have been on Paxil and this is my second time trying to get off. I am under a Dr.'s care, and even so, because of the withdrawl systems, I am having difficulty getting off this medication. - USA
Laura Dunning RN BSN - I just want everyone who preceded me in signing this petition, THANK YOU!! I have some point of closure about what is going on with me. I had been taking varing doses, starting with 20mg daily and over time had to increase it to 40mg. It worked great for me while I was on it for that 18 months. But after the 30# weight gain, I figured it was time to come off, with my Dr's approval. I was told by my MD and pharmacist that a slow weaning over 2 weeks would be just fine. Well, that's a damn lie. I spent the evening in the ER last night for electrical shocks going all over my body, dizziness, numbness, nausea, and worring that I was going to keel over at any momement. They told me I need to have a CT and an MRI of my brain and spine to rule out MS and Spinal Stenosis. Now lets talk about anxiety. After reading everyone's comments, it all hits home. I had quit Paxil 4 days ago, and now I feel like shit. But at least I know why. This is insane! I had done all the reading on Paxil in the drug books and PDR before I started, but nowhere did it state what kind of side-effects there are upon cessation of the med. I only hope this passes quickly and that the loved ones in my life are still there for me after all is said and done. Again, Thank You to every one that sigined before me and good luck to the ones who will sign after me!!! - USA
Beverly Beavers - when i was taken off paxil, my dizziness and confusion was so bad my doctor sent for a brain scan and test. i requested she let me go back on the paxil and as soon as i did the symptoms disapeared. but it was until i got online and discovered to my amazment that others were having the very same symptoms. - Franklin
Corinna M. Teichrib - Prior to my knowledge of "discontinuation syndrome" of Paxil, I have repeatedly tried to come off of Paxil and suffered severe withdrawal symptoms. I have small children and am afraid to come off of Paxil now because of the effects this may have on my family. - Canada
Rob - Thankyou for giving me more problems than i started with!!! - UK
Lowell Hubbs - I seen the Paxil commercials, and was on another prescription drug, and I asked to be swithched to Paxil. I never questioned if Paxil was addictive, was told nothing by my doctor. Reading pharmacy and drug book information, did not say anything about it being habit-forming, nor addictive. After a few months on the drug, I tried going off, cold turkey, and the result was electric zaps throughout my body, mostly my arms and legs, and a strange whoosh-like sound in my head, that every time I moved; it felt like some sort of seizure of brief but repeatative nature. Memory is terrible; that and extreme fatigue, now that I have tapered the dosage to 10 mgs; I am scared of going to 5mgs. I will know later how that turns out. Paxil is a terrrible drug-that I never would have taken, had I known the truth. It is beyond human comprehension, how such lies can be perpetrated on such a large number of people across this entire country; and all in the name of wrongful profit. - S. D.
Gail Conley-Reagan - I have experiened severe withdrawasystoms from Paxil... - USA
Cindy Belzile - I feel very angry and trapped. I'm afraid to stop taking Paxil - Canada
Peg Nolan - Paxil withdrawal was a horrible experience! - USA
Andrea Innes-Michailov - The FDA should answer for its approval of Paxil, the manufacturer lies and says it may cause weight loss, the withdrawal symptoms were INTOLERABLE - USA
Eileen Gallagher - My family recently witnessed the drastic effects Paxil can have on a person. My father was put on Paxil for a mild depression that was diagnosed during a routine physical. My usually energetic, positive-thinking father became withdrawn, tearful, jittery, paranoid, & DEPRESSED within 2 days of taking the 1st Paxil dose. We were shocked and confused at first, thinking that somehow he had suddenly fell into a deep depression. We now realize it was the Paxil. He is off of it now and back to his usual self, and actively getting involved in notifying physicians & the FDA about his experience. It can be a dangerous drug, and should not be prescribed so casually. All my father really needed was some counseling to help him figure out how to handle retirement! - USA
W.R. Sutton - Having tried to get off and failed twice, I am still on Paxil. Not sure if getting off the drug is what I should do, but it is scary. It has been about 7 years now. - USA
Tammy Pennington - I am addicted to paxil and I am very angry to know that I was told it was non addictive; when in fact it is very addictive. I have been on paxil for about 4 years and I know it's side effects and I know that it is addictive. - USA
Glenda Harris - I myself have not taken paxil but my sister n law has. She and I are very close so I have learned alot about this drug and feel this company does not represent the truth behind this drug and it makes me furious to see so many people getting "hooked on this" - USA
Ken Edgeworth - been on it 8 yrs. Tried to quit 5 times - Canada
Nicol Campise - The pamplet states that Paxil is not addicting. If that were true then I would never have felt so miserable when I ceased taking the pill. - USA
Amy R. Jenkins - I thought I would die while withdrawing from Paxil - USA
Angel Baumann - Stopped Paxil when I got pregnant - severe, severe withdrawal symptoms - wish I had been warned! - U.S.A.
Lynn Nirenberg - Paxil withdrawal is a nightmare. - USA
Leslie - I have just started taking this drug a couple of months ago and missed a few doses and experienced many of these side affects - USA
John Hernandez - I'm signing this petition through experience. I suffered extreme withdrawals after coming off the drug. - USA
James Towner - I am a Paxil user and have been dealing with the withdrawl symptoms especially the jolting electric "zaps" which are starting to get worse and more frequent. - United States
Kimberly Cohen - I am having horrible withdrawals getting of Paxil. - United States
CONNIE CONWAY - I'm having problems with the withdrawel and it is addicting - Blue Springs Mo. USA
Scott Winterhoff - The side effects I had on paxil were hellish and trying to ween off it has been even worse. I'm light headed, sick to my stomach, tired, feel like I have the flu every day. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired on this medication - United States
Lisa Williamson - Horrible withdrawal symptoms that mimic depression symptoms resulted in unncessary drug changes and/or increases. My therapist was completely unaware of the "the zaps" and just continued to perscribe yet another SSRI! JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE PROFESSIONALS WITH DEGREES DOES NOT WARRANT OUR COMPLETE COMPLIANCE AS PATIENTS..Ive learned the hard way we must be our own advocates. God Bless All! - Ontario CANADA
Debra A. Butler - I am a therapist who is experiencing withdrawal. Still, I had no idea how debilitating it could be to discontinue with this medication. I am angry that the makers of Paxil and my doctor did not inform me about or help me through symptoms such as "seizure-like" sensations that occur 100's of times daily, nausea, and dizziness. It was only when I went to the internet that I could validate my experience. - USA
Lisa White - suffering from paxil withdrawl - USA
Susan Shaner - Xannax was a piece of cake to get off of. Paxil is IMPOSSIBLE - USA
Patricia D. Gibson - I have been suffering severe withdrawals from paxil for over a year...of hell - Virginia Beach, Virginia
Helen Bakaszynsky - I have been taking paxil since 1999, although intially very happy with how it helped me cope with my depression, I have been unable to stop takin it due to the severe and distrurbing withdrawal symptoms. My doctor has been of little help in this respect and can't even accept there are side effects. I will try again knowing this time, that these awful feelings are due to the drug that I was told would help me get better. - UK
Alain de Zilva - I have been weaning down the paxil for 4 months now, each one worse that the last. SKB lies in their TV ads for paxil... Paxil is habit forming! and the withdrawals are worse than the original problem... - Canada
Trisha Spinelli - Been off Paxil 4+ years and still suffering from side effects. I had none of these neurological problems prior to taking this poison. And I was only on it a little over 3 months. GSK is shameless for lying about the dangers of this drug. - USA
Janaki Kagel - It is very important to be upfront about possible addiction... I had a withdrawl episode and almost ended up in a mental institution. I was on the floor, shaking and crying. It was the single most horrible experience of my life. I would not wish it upon anybody, and i doubt that you would either. If I had known that that sort of thing might happen, I would still have chosen to go on the drug, but I would have been much more careful about taking the drug acurately and weening off of it correctly. - US
Sue Mason - I have been trying to get off PAXIL for about a year with no success so far. - USA
T. Anderson - Definitely is an addictive drug as I have had to increase my dosage each year (over almost 9 years) to get the same effect ... and have extreme side effects when increasing or decreasing dosages. - Washington County, Oregon
Joyce Papania - my daugher has been on Paxil for about 5 years now. We have tried a few times to wean her down or off Paxil and she winds up having severe anxiety attacks. If I had known this, Paxil would not be in her system now. The doctors don't tell you that this drug is not easy to come off of. My daughter is tired all the time, does not have normal bowel movements like she used to, and in general, totally dependant on Paxil. This should be against the law. - Los Angeles
Karen - I am addicted and need help! - USA
Gloria Herrick - Have been on Paxil for 1 1/2 months and tried to quit. Had seriously bad headaches and found the Paxil Database. All this garbage scared the hell out of me, so I started taking it again. The headache went away and hasn't came back. So I know it was because of the Paxil. Now I don't know what the hell I'm going to do. Scared out of my mind! - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Patrice L. Schaff - Was prescribed Paxil for 8 years. Doctors did not believe that I was going thru withdraw every time I tried to wean myself from it! - USA
Liliane M. Lykes - Horrible effects from withdrawal - USA
Greg Baird - I have never taken drugs prior to use of paxil for treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder. I'm absolutely amazed that while this drug was very effective in relieving my symptoms, I'm particularly distressed and amazed at how miserable the withdrawal symptoms are after discontinuing it. I take particular exception to your company's suggestion that only drug abusers are likely to experience these horrible side effects of discontinuation. I am considering legal action. - USA
Lori Hurd - My doctor does not believe me when I tell him I suffer because of the withdrawals from Paxil. He tells me that I must "need" the Paxil. I am a very healthy person otherwise, not ever addicted to anything. This drug definitely has very FRIGHTENING withdrawal symptoms. I do not like to idea of being on medication for the rest of my life needlessly. - United States of America
Ronald F. Welch - Have tried for 5 1/2 years to quit, Can't ! - USA
Rosalind Gaines - became phyically ill on paxil for five years - U.S.A
Donovan - Still suffering 2 months later - Canada
Jackie Miller - My 14 year old son is on Paxil and the withdrawal has been a nightmare, so much so that I have put him back on it! I can't bear to watch him suffer through his withdrawal. It's truly been a nightmare... - USA
Wayne Gernon - Attempted 4 times to get off of drugs. Been on it for 5 years - United States
Dan Spinale - have been on paxil for 6 years, tried to get off 3 times, am trying again but having bad withdrawals - USA
Jessica A. Stewart - I started taking paxil in1997.60mgs.Then when summer would come the doctor would drop the dosage to 40mgs. because of the reaction I would suffer from the heat. this went on for 5 years.Till Oct. 2001, when I started to have an allergic reaction to paxil.Nov. 17 2001 , my doctor just cold turkey me off of it. 7 weeks of pure hell. and that is being nice about it. I felt as though I was going insane. There were times that I could not even get out of bed, or eat. Christmas was not very merry for me or anyone around me. I wish that someone would have told me what kind of hell I was in store for, before I ever took that frist dose of paxil.I wonder if it really helped my panic attacks, anxeity attacks or not. I seem to be doing better since I have stop taking paxil. - USA.
Zoe - It will ruin my life, I can not come of them and want answers. - Hertfordshire, England
Mary Grovers - Have had horrible side effects trying to get off Paxil; and have been denied insurance because I'm on it - Trinity County, CA
Ramona Jenson - I am outraged that a company has mislead so many doctors and patientss for what was for them a great financial gain. I want to make them sorry they ever withheld information, and yes I want them to pay for their wrong doings. This sight has helped me to know that others have experienced what I am experiencing right now and are still there to tell about it. The nuerological effects of going off paxil are unimagineable. The doctors tested me for all sorts of spinal cord problems and nuerological diseases before the neurologist finally went online and found out that a withdrawal symptom of paxil was tingling. I have numbness of my hands, feet, and mouth. The tingling associated with this seems to cover my whole body much of the time, and it feels as though I am at the dentist receiving nitrus oxide for dental work. The past week I have had clicks and zaps in my hands and wrists. After sleeping for a couple of hours I wake up with my legs feeling so asleep that I have to hold onto things to make sure I can walk. My hands are normally either freezing cold or feel like they are burning up. I have tinkling in my nose which is enough to make me feel like screaming, but I don't. My mouth feels as though I am constantly sucking on sucrets, yet at the same time it is soar and very dry. I am eating, but only do so because I know I have to because I am a diabetic. I really don't feel like eating. These symptoms are real. The paxil medication is the cause for them. Three doctors and five office visits passed before a physician even knew why I was having these symptoms, yet at every visit I asked, "Could it have anything to do with my decrease in paxil?" In fact, they even allowed me to quit the paxil because of the dry mouth. They were unaware of the addiction paxil causes. I hope to God that I can get through this without taking another paxil tablet again. As the numbness and tingling continue to get worse, I am scared of what it will feel like when/if the intense feelings of numbness and tingling I have on my hands and feet cover my entire body. I am angry at the makers of paxil! - USA
Sabrina Rankin - It took me over 4 months to get off paxil and I still have side effects. - USA
Paulette Kinder - Trying to get off of this drug is horrible had i known I would have never even started it. - U.S.A
Alison Thomas - withdrawal from paxil - headaches - passed out - zaps in brain- foggy head - Canada
Tony Harper - I was not informed how difficult it is to stop taking Paxil. It is worse than the anxiety attacks! - USA
Alice M. Kratz - Withdrawal symtoms are awful - USA
Amy DiTrani - Have been on Paxil for 2 years, have gone through withdrawal hell when my prescription ran out, and thought i was crazy since i hadn't known that withdrawal was a possibility... now am weaning myself off, but withdrawal has started again, even though i have been decreasing the dosage by 5mgs... so even weaning can cause withdrawal... i am dizzy, if i move my eyes too much i feel like i am going to fall over, so disoriented... non-habit forming, my ass... i hate paxil... if i had known i would have never gone on it... i am just scared that the withdrawal is going to get so bad, i am going to give up and go back on it... it is a vicious circle... and i can't believe that the drug manufacturers can blatantly lie about all this.. it makes me sick... - USA
Katrina Marlowe - I have been off paxil for 1 week, and the withdrawal symptoms are so severe, I can't carry on normal life, and have even been to ER because of it. - USA
Jeffrey Hutchinson - severe memory loss and confusion on Paxil, depression and psychosis during withdrawal. I started the drug again and am about to try to get off of it again. - US
Peter Belfield - I have been taking Seroxat 20mg/day for 4 months, and this week I halved the dose. The consequences were distressing nightmares, violent thoughts, severe dizziness and nausea. I am off work with this, and I read the patient information leaflet that says"you cannot be addicted to Seroxat". I think something is severely wrong as I wouldn't have taken the drug if I knew the withdrawal is as bad as this. - England
Emma Mace - i am withdrawing now and it is very scary -Australia
Larry W. Collier - I am having the same side effects while trying to get off of Paxil that I read about on the internet that everyone else is having. That is why I searched the net to see if it was just me. The doctor said that Paxil wasn't habit forming but failed to mention the problems associated with discontinuing the drug. - USA
Kristin Monesmith - I have never been addicted to anything in my life but Paxil and I want off it!!!!!! - USA
Lisa Rizzi - I have had major side effects from paxil. I am not depressed but have had a problem with anxiety and now I have nightmares, dizzieness, fatigue, headaches, blurred vision, hallucination of movement, neck pain, gastroenteritis, extreme ear pain, problems breathing and very upsetting heart spasms and so on. I live in fear of withdrawls and I feel as though Paxil hasn't helped me calm down but it has made my body sick and weak. I had to drop out of college and quit my job because I couldn't even see straight. I am 19 years old and I can't tell myself that it is going to be alright. - Canada
Mary J. Ryan - My MD advised me to taper from 20mg to 10 mg to nothing. I am experiencing extremely uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms that I have just realized are attribuatble to my discontinuance of this drug. More public information and caution must be exercised regrading stopping Paxil - United States of America
Wendy Fiolek - I went on Paxil for a month for depression and anxiety. Actually my doctor had discussed me going off and I was against it because I worried about withdrawl symptoms. Then I discovered that I was bipolar and couldn't stay on Paxil and I was on a pretty high dosage - 40 mg a day. My doctor told me to stop immediately and I started Depakote. I was only off one night and I couldn't believe the symptoms I had. Horrible insomnia, the most violent nightmares I have ever had, my leg and arms were jerking involuntarily, and the most disturbing which I had read about was that I had this buzzing inside of my head and ears like a zap or like I was being shocked and I was afraid it wouldn't stop. I hope Paxil is taking off the market. It isn't at all what it is cracked up to be and I would tell anyone not to go on it. - USA
Paula G - 3 months into Seroxat cold turkey and things are getting even worse. Thank You GSK for your corruption and deceipt. - Wales UK
John S. Sindoni - Very uncomfortable and frightening withdrawal symptoms - United States
Jennifer Foley - trying very hard to get through, it's hell.. week 7 - Ontario, Canada
Skye Zamalloa - I have taken paxil for three years, complications were ignored by my psychiatrist and I was told to add an anti-psychotic to my Paxil-Klonopin cocktail. I have been trying to get through the horrible withdrawal for over a year. The withdrawal symptoms are so unbearable one continues taking the medicine for relief. How is this anything but capitalist controlled drug-dependency? - USA
Joy Pow - this has been the worst thing I have ever gone through - the withdrawal side effects are still going on and it has been months. - Canada
Laura Egan - Paxil withdrawal sufferer for over 4 months - USA
Peggy MacPhie - Having been on the drug for a month and a half and gone off the drug I can tell you that the long term side effects are a lot more severe than the reason I went on the drug to begin with. - Canada
John Warner - Living Hell since off Paxil 6 days ago - Canada
Vanessa Hawkins - I have been on this drug for a little over a year and now want to get off of it, I have had all of the side effects from coming off this drug after you advertise that it is not addictive and there are no effects - United States
Amanda Thomas - Have tried to get off of Paxil three times, the "zaps" are really annoying and you do feel like you are "floating around" I figured too, that I needed the drug since I had those withdrawal symptoms. Now I am scared since I have learned that I am addicted to this drug. May God help us all recover from this. - United States
Theresa M. Saik - The side-effects of withdrawal really stink. It has truly affected my happy and calm disposition. The zap sensation is the worst I have ever experienced. I truly believe doctors should be better informed as to the side-effects of withdrawal. - USA
Renny C. Smith - I was only on Paxil for 3 weeks (max. dose of 30 mg.) I didn't like the way it made me feel like a zombie, so I tapered off over 1 week. 3 days after my last dose, my hellish nightmare of withdrawal began. It's been a week now and I am still suffering from "zaps", occular migraines, vertigo, nausea, fever and chills. How can Dr.'s prescribe this drug without mentioning these horrificly dangerous withdrawal symptoms? The Dr's don't know nearly enough about this drug to be prescribing it. I hope my hell is over soon! - USA
Cheryl Maggs - To think I trusted the words of a psychiatrist and let him put my already disabled (aarskog syndrome & autistic/pdd)13 yr. old son on 30 mg of paxil for treatment of panic disorder, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Not only did I demand to have him weaned off this drug because he demonstrated serious and dangerous behaviourial issues both at school and home where safety was an issue for himself and others, little did i know what was ahead for him coming off this paxil poison. As I write this, this poor child is having headaches, dizziness, nightmares, nightsweats, flu like achiness all over his body, bouts of crying, moaning and groaning, extreme nervousness and anxiety, sleeplessness, and gastric problems. Today, he told me he felt like dying. All this is happening because I trusted a Dr. of Psychiatry with my child who told me that Paxil didn't have as many side effects as other medications. I, as a parent, am feeling guilty for administering such a drug to my child who trusts me to protect him always, but I am also extremely angry at the producers of this horrible drug who did not issue label warnings of addictiveness and extreme mood changes and at the FDA for allowing such a drug on the market. Someone needs to pay for this gross deceit to the public!!! My son and our family have been to hell and back for the past six (6) months and I pray that there will be an end to this nightmare for my innocent son who does not understand what is happening to him or his body. My son or I do not sleep at night....DO YOU SMITHKLINE BEECHAM AND PAXIL??? (Just an FYI....The Psychiatrist told me to cut his dosage from 30 mg to 15 mg and after 6 days of doing this, he advised me to stop giving him the Paxil completely and within 2 days the withdrawals began) Signed, a seriously concerned loving Mother speaking for a child who can't speak for himself :( - United States
Jacquie Coghill - getting off these pills is tearing my life apart - Canada
Jan Gordon - This medication has caused me to grind my teeth. I feel nausea, headachey, shivery, and generally unwell when I try to go for more than two days without this. - UK
Michael K. Piper - I am horrified to only now be finding out the reality of the major withdrawl synptoms of Paxil. I have only been on the medication, at merely a 20mg/day dose mind you, for approximately 5 months. I saw absolutlely no change whatsoever in my original symptoms, so I decided to quit taking Paxil. My physician even stated that I should have no problem quitting bieng that my dosage was so low. Little did he know. I hope my name appearing on this petition along with the others helps to resolve this matter for the benefit of those like me who are going through the HELL of Paxil withdrawl. - USA
Wayne Gernon - Attempted 4 times to get off of drugs. Been on it for 5 years - United States
A. Merlo - Withdrawal has been agonizing - was not informed at all of addicitve properties. My body feels permanently altered. - Canada
Nicole - This drug is ruining my life, and it is very hard to get off! - USA
Sandra Jean Mitchell - My depression was the result of the Medical Communities incompetence. I was diagnosed as psychosomatic.They offered Paxil or forcible hospitalization. A year later, a neurophychologist discovered I was not crazy, but inflicted with Lyme Disease. With Paxil, I now have more physical and mental problems then I began with and if not more hopeless, still depressed. In order for you to know what I experience when I even forget to take my 20 mg Paxil each day; turn on a table lamp, take out the light bulb and stick your finger inside the socket till you experience the shock. Take it out and put it back in, take it out, put it back in. . ect. Better yet, get a lamp for each hand and remember to do it always, no breaks allowed. How long can you take it? Those of us on Paxil, who experience this side effects, just have to take it. The choice is Paxil or the shocks. This just the beginning. After you get through the physical shocks, there is a whole realm of other side effects just as disturbing. - United States
Deb La Plante - I took Paxil for 5 days and hated how I felt, so quit taking it. The next 12 - 14 days were a living hell. I've NEVER been so sick in my whole life and contemplated suicide during that time. Paxil and other SSRIs are a true load of crap, a dangerous load. GSK owes us all, BIG TIME! They're lying, cheating, drug dealing criminals, who don't give a crap who they make suffer as long as they're making a lot of money. - USA
John Simmons - My 1st wife and I were prescribed paroxetine in 1991. She committed suicide in 1991 and I am still on the tablets 11 years later. Cannot get off having tried many times. - UK
Gina Giaccotto - I take Paxil-and stopped taking it for 3 days about 2 months ago-Had terrible withdrawel symptoms, so I started taking it again. - USA
Beth Vedder - I am having horrible problems withdrawing from this drug! - USA
David Dalton - I have watched my partner going through hell and it still isn't over. I have seen the suffering her friends, on support boards and in emails, are going through either from taking Seroxat or by losing children through this drug. The death and suffering caused to what were once vital, happy, loving and loved members of the human race by self-seeking people in search of power and money fills me with utter revulsion. - UK (Wales)
Laurie Groshong - The withdrawls are horrible - U.S.A.
Dan Spinale - have been on paxil 8 years, severe withdrawal symptoms - USA
Scott Kennedy - Paxil withdrawal was the worst few months of my life. -USA
Leigh Sobhani - I have never taken any illegal drugs and don't drink alcohol, and my distress at having been unwittingly prescribed an addictive drug (my experiences now of unsuccessful withdrawal, side affects and relapse have convinced me of the addictive nature of Paroxetine) are totally unjustifiable. I have lost 2 years of my life to the ups and downs of Paroxetine (I am now 25ys old) and don't want to see others being deceived in the same way. - United Kingdom
T. Billings - After several unsuccessful attempts to get off Paxil, I cannot believe that SKB has the nerve to promote Paxil as non-habit forming. I have personally called the company and told them of the difficulty in getting off this drug as have many, many others. You people continue to lie about the addictive quality of the drug you make and cause unbelievable damage in the lives of those who trust you. This suffering is all in the name of money. How incredibly selfish and cruel!!!!! I will, from this day forward, always ask the physcian what company makes the drug he/she is giving me, and if the answer is SKB, I will refuse. I DO NOT trust you. You continue to lie about your product to innocent people. I will never buy a product associated with SKB again for the rest of my life!!!! - USA
Jacquelyn A. Penczek - I went off Paxil slowly a year ago..now I'm back on it. I've learned that unless I want to go through foul side effects, I might be taking it for the rest of my life. Is that what the company wanted in the first place? - USA
Thomas Donahue - I can't even shake the problem of comming off paxil I have a bad headache and I feel like I am going to pass out so I have to take another Paxil to try and rid my body of this awful feeling.I feel like a junky and cannot stand to live my life like this. - U S A
TJ Meadows - I was one of these users of paxil and I am still suffering from side effects after 2 months when I stopped useing it. - USA
Ani Desilets - I went through hell trying to get off it so I am back on it ..........no withdrawl or non-habit forming what a lie - USA
Kit Wong - Paxil is 100% addictive - US
Cheryl Blauvelt - Horrible withdrawal, felt suicidal - USA
Kelly S. Madsen - Paxil is the single worst thing that has happened to me in all 36 years of my life! It should be removed from the market! - United States
Megan Leonard - paxil withdrawls are extreme! - United States
Lisa Clifford - This drug is addictive and has been a nightmare to get off... AND it put 50 pounds on me...somehting the doctors said COULDNT happen......go figure. - USA
Mark E. Riensche - Its over - I'm free of your drug - after four years and numerous attempts to stop I finally was able to make the break. It took me three and a half months of weaning to get from 40mg to 1mg. I thought I was stuck, then read about 5-HTP (griffen bean extract). Stopped Paxil and substituted a 50mg of 5-HTP to counteract the withdrawal symptoms. Its over. Finally, its over. To my fellow petitioners, there is hope. PS: File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, it the right thing to do. - USA
Elizabeth A. Reed - serious withdraw complications - USA
Lois Sales - have tried to get off of this several times. each time I thought I was going to die, I was so sick. I had to keep taking it! I am trying to get off it again. This time I will scratch off a little bit more each day with a knife, hoping that maybe in four to six months I will be off this stuff. - USA
Kathleen Edgett - Been addicted for 6 years Lost Jobs from missed work trying to get off this crap, mislead into beleiving it was safe and non addictive, even have taken it during pregnacy as apparantly safe. - Canada
Andrea Bishop - Would never have started taking this medication if I had known how it would effect me when I stopped taking it. How dare you falsley market this medicine and ignore the people you are supposedly trying to help. - USA
Fiona Wilde - I'm signing this in the hope that this drug eventually gets taken off the market and other people will be spared what I have gone through with this horrendous drug. - UK
Carolyn Griffin - addict to paxil also shocks my brain - USA
Angela M. Smith - Shy 18-year-old, who saw ad on t.v. for social anxiety disorder, received 1 months supply of Paxil with six refills, no warnings of side effects, had Rx within a 3 minute visit with doctor. Paxil sent to me HELL. This medicine is worse than any "street drug" could possibly be. SKB should be held accountable for my misery. - USA
Sarah M. - My 16 year old brother murdered a friend after being on Paxil for only 6 weeks. He recently got sentenced to 70 years in prison (he is now 17)!!! My family and friends are completely shocked and many psychiatrist's witnessed (under oath) during his trial that there were no known negaive side effects. My family and I want justice!! This horrible drug,and many other SSRI's need to be taken off the market before someone else ruins their life! - USA
Melanie Harrison - I get "head zaps," headaches, heart palpitations, tight chest, confusion and dizziness if I forget to take my pill for just one day - USA
N.Perales - This Drug has put me threw a living Hell.. My life sucks people I Love are suffering with me ... SmithKline Beecham should take a piece of there own crappy pink drugs and have them taken away and see how they cope with no paxil... no sleep... no memory... and most of all the loss of lives from people who ave acted on there anger from this drug and not understanding to those who have hurt themselves because of this poison you all so much recommend and say that it is not habit forming when in fact it is just as bad as any drug they sell in the streets......... HOW COULD YOU EVEN SLEEP AT NIGHT))))LOSERS... I hope you get yours.......... - USA
Phil Torres - paxil is the key that breaks in the lock. - USA
Carrie A. Blouin - Have used Paxil for 3 years at 30mg, was never told of side effects and am currently suffering from withdrawal symptoms - United States
Ramon R Jaraba RN - Will never take this med again - been on it for 5 yearss - Riverside, Ca
Lowell Hubbs - I think the greatest disservice GSK did, was to falsely claim only drug addicts and the like, could get hooked on, or for only such poeple could paxil become habit forming? So, all these people having signed this petion, are drug addicts? For one, I am not! The first 6 months I took Paxil, it seemed to work well for the stress related anxiety I was prescribed for. the TV comercials bragged it up as good for such a condition, and being non habit forming; LIERS!!! My doctor never informed me of severe withdrawal I may experiance, or when I should get off the drug, basically prescribed more sample, by phoning his nurses. After six months, I tried to go off cold turkey; after four days had severe shock waves in my brain, body, and up and down my legs. Zapping was so severe, I could hardly hold my eyes open; to sit still, with your eyes shut was the best. Paxil; non habit forming??? I then went back on 20mg. and proceeded down to 10, 5, and the 0. over 4 months time; each step was hell; with more of the same, no sleep, just nightmares, migraines I never had before. Each step down, after a couple days, I had to return to the previous dosage, and start over back down, because the brainzapping/ body pulsing, and near inability to function and concentrate, were gone; I could not stay at work, without more drug. I was continually late for work; could not wake up; was no exhausted. I nearly lost my job. now after 4 months I am off Paxil for 20 days; and still from time to time I am getting brain zaps and whooshing sounds in my ears and head; at time it feels like someone pumped my head full of air; my balance and coordination are off- to the point it is hard to work, also. When I read the article on the 3 part article on the pineal gland, on www. antidepressants facts .com, it is clear that Paxil causes brain damage, thanks so much, GSK, and being Paxil has such a short half life, about 4 days, it seems; these results of my experiance can be looked at as nothong but possible brain damage, my brain is still trying to find ways to compensate for. Now, after 20 days, I am developing sever panic attackson awaking in the morning, that I had not before. What do I do now; go get myself hooked on more Xanax? I believe all SSRI drugs are dangerous; and Paxil is the worst. What about the violent anger,and frustration this drug produces?This is a treatment that makes people better able to function in life? It is biggest lie ever told; for profit of the already rich, to get richer! GSK, I hope that when all the lawsuits are completed, you no longer exist, to harm anyone else; it can not come soon enough! GSK, feel free to email me at cornfieldmn@yahoo.com, and that with any appoligy you have the balls to make! Again I ask you in top management to please take your own poison, for 6 months, an then go off cold turkey; or even wean off slowly, maybe you would have an attitude adjustment!!! Profits will mean nothing, when you get to the end of your life; and you have to answer for the pain you have caused. I hope you are made to experiance the agony, times 1000, the people that have signed this petion, have felt! - USA
Sherri Kern - i had the worst withdrawls!!!!!!! - USA
Donna Wagner - I'm addicted to Paxil and cannot get off of it. - United States
Joanne - I have decreased my paxil only by 5mg, and I have not slept in six days. I had to be prescribed sleeping pills to knock me out. I am missing work because as you can imagine it is hard to function without sleep. Are you going to pay for my time away from work? Not likely! - Canada
Terry T. Holland - I am addicted to this heinous drug. - USA
Leigh Simmons - I have had enough of Paxil and will come off of it if it kills me. I am missing work, my blood pressure is dangerously up and I can hardly think or walk due to withdrawal. I need help coming off of this and there is no help. The doctor just wants me to keep taking it -sounds addictive to me. - USA
David Stec - Withdrawl symptoms are horrible - USA
Susan Kirth - I have never been dependent on any drugs, but now Paxil has me in bondage. Can not get off of it. Effects too devastating to day-to-day living. - USA
Mary - I am 19 and have been on Paxil for 4 years now. I want to get off of this, but I can't, the pain is too terrible. Major headaches, vomiting, and more. NOTHING relieves the pain, even extra-strength pain killers don't help at all. The only way to get any relief is to take more Paxil and curl up and lay in bed. - New York, USA
Lori Kerwin - I too suffered an extreme withdrawal period where I thought I was going to die and was not warned of the potential "melt down" that can occur. I was informed afterward by my health care provider that "seratonin syndrome" was the culprit and that indeed the blood pressure raises, temp raises and you become at an increased risk for serious health complications. I did not read any of this on the insert and have been a family practice nurse for 8 years. I think the public has a right to know. - Bentobn
Amy DuBiel - I have been trying to get off this drug for some time. I would like to thank skb for all my night sweats, vomiting, headaches, and a whole lot more. Your so-called take my life back drug has really just ruined my life. Thanks for nothing. - USA
Vicky Nickerson - I just don't understand why I have to take this for the rest of my life. I'm only 33 , i'm to young to be taking medication everyday. - US
Margaret A. Hoyland - My son was placed on it for two weeks, I took him off of it because the mania and mood swings/irrational thinking were worse than ever. He also has loss of concentration, insomnia and sedation. Restlessness and nervousness. Very bad situation with this . Would not recommend any one ever be prescribed this again. - USA
Chanda Grace - i have been on paxil and extremly sick from it for quite some time.I have never abused drugs or achohol and i have had a terrible time trying to get off paxil - USA
Birte Petersen - I took Paxil for a year until it started to interact with another prescription I had to take. The result was frightening and not knowing that Paxil was habit forming, I decided to quit cold turkey. My problem disappeared almost immediately, however after a week the withdrawal symptoms set in. I experienced severe anxiety attacks, insomnia, nausea and I feared for my sanity. Today 7 months after quitting Paxil, I still suffer from anxiety attacks, although to a lessor degree and I agree that Paxil is a very dangerous medication and it should be taken off the market immediately. - Canada
Gerard Lismore - I am quitting Paxil cold turkey after 13 months .I sweat ,cant contentrate ,have tremors , am sick of nausia and am trying to cope wiyh a wife who does not understand. ITS killing me - Canada
MELISSA RIDENOUR - I am having severe problems w/ Paxil - USA
Cheryl G - My confusion and fear has been replaced with anger and bitterness!! I DARE any of the so-called "experts" to use this heinous product and report with a straight face that there are minimal side effects and withdrawl symptoms. Life is living hell right now but the will is strong - we WILL make you listen! - USA
BOB FIDDAMAN - Zaps are a major concern. Why do the makers off this drug fail to acknowledge that they exist? - UK
Aleta Pringle - paxil has ruined my life. - USA
Sheri Sparks - I hate this medication and am desperately trying to get off. - United States of America
Darren K. Green - Severe withdrawal effects - USA
Sherry Stephens - I am suffering from withdrawal beyond belief, and this is with gradual cutting down! - USA
Gina Zdanowicz - I was prescribed Paxil for my reaction to being outside the WTC when the attacks occured. It did help me get past those fears and control the anxiety but when I stopped taking it I had a bad withdrawl that lasted for 4 weeks. I was not informed of this before hand. - USA
Elaine Kissane - I'm just beginning the withdrawl process,so far it's been really hard.I feel that if I knew how bad it would be to get off Paxil,I never would have begun it!Also,my therapist is under the false impression that the only withdrawl symptom is flu-like symptoms. - USA
Misty D. Gilbert - I fought the adverse affects of Paxil for almost 2 years. I became severely depressed & suicidal near my second year on Paxil. This is a very dangerous drug and needs to be taken off of the market completely. - United States
Kim Nikbin - Please help with facts for withdrawal I cannot miss anymore work and I have to have a hysterectonomy May 9. HELP - USA
William T. Watkins - This medication has debilitated the one I love. She has been trying to withdraw from this medication, and it breaks my heart to watch her suffer so badly. Something must be done. - USA
Colleen L. Campbell - I have been experiencing absolutely debilitating withdrawal side-effects from this horrible medication. No one ever told me of this danger, in fact, many healthcare professionals lied right to my face. I have been suffering from withdrawal for over 30 days and have not been able to work. People must know about these dangers. - USA
Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal
By Bob Fiddaman
ISBN: 978-1-84991-120-7
CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE
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