A growing body of anecdotal evidence has raised concerns about paxil side effects. Although the manufacturers say there is no reliable clinical evidence that the paxil medication can cause the side effects of violence or aggression, the paxil medication company was sued in the US after Donald Schell killed his wife, daughter and grandchild after two days on paxil. During the investigation of the clinical records, it was reported that although paxil is safe and effective most of the time, in a minority of cases paxil can cause unpredictable side effects, such as wild mood swings or suicidal thoughts.
Paxil lawsuit trials are popping up because paxil like other SSRI's can as a side effect cause a condition called akathisia that manifests itself in a person like a sever inner restlessness. Being on edge like this is thought to be a major contributor to suicide and thus the paxil lawsuits.
It is said that the makers of Paxil (GlaxoSmithKline) have also held back important information about this antidepressant drug and not revealed all important data when prescribing paxil medication to children.
In June 2004 GlaxoSmithKline were again fighting a lawsuit over paxil due to allegations of fraud. The paxil lawsuit alleges that five studies conducted by GSK between 1998 and 2002 suggested that paxil medication had little more effect than a placebo and increased suicidal tendencies. New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer accused GlaxoSmithKline of hiding several studies that indicated Paxil was ineffective in the treatment of children and adolescents and may increase suicidal thoughts.
In March 2004 the FDA issued a warning that provides further cautions when prescribing Paxil to watch closely when changing or stopping dosages. Soon after the FDA warning GlaxoSmithKline decided to issue a warning of their own.
The issue arising in the new paxil lawsuit cases is that the warnings have come too late. Those that have been on paxil for an extended period of time before the warnings have already had to deal with the paxil side effects. Emotions run high on any lawsuit when children are involved. In the paxil lawsuits the combination of children and suicide is a harsh reality.