Article: Parents Enraged At Glaxo Over Paxil Birth Defects

"Only then," he says, "will readers be able to understand why they say what they say and advocate as they do, often regardless of proof and credible science."

Academic researchers like Dr. Cohen are referred to in the industry as "opinion" or "thought" leaders and are reportedly chosen on the basis of their ability to influence not only prescribing doctors, but also public opinion. The WSJ describes their importance in relation to SSRIs as:

"In the case of antidepressant use during pregnancies, the industry-paid opinion leaders have become dominant authorities in the field. They help establish clinical guidelines, sit on editorial boards of medical journals, advise government agencies evaluating antidepressants and teach courses on the subject to other doctors."

For years, Big Pharma has pursued the cream of the crop in America's medical profession when recruiting doctors and researchers to serve as product shills. They promote drugs by setting up interviews in the media. They convince other doctors to prescribe drugs off-label for non-approved uses at seminars using elaborate presentations provided by drug companies and serve on boards of universities, foundations and professional bodies.

But the most sought after, critics say, are those medical professionals involved in formulating approved drug lists for programs like Medicare and Medicaid, where a decision to favor one drug over the other can mean billions of dollars to the "winning" drug companies.

In the case of the SSRIs, instructing pregnant women not to use the drugs could have an immediate negative impact on sales figures. The February 9, 2006 Union-Tribune, reported that at a Washington news conference on February 8, 2006, in response to the study that revealed the lung disorder, FDA official, Dr. Sandra Kweder, called the "findings significant" and "worrisome," especially because 10 percent to 15 percent of women of reproductive age have major depression and are the biggest users of antidepressant drugs."

Ten to 15% of all women of childbearing age represent an enormous chunk of the market. In the case of Paxil, it's worse because the drug is also prescribed to treat mood disorders which means many more pregnant women than expected may be using the drug.

Families seeking justice for infants born with Paxil related birth defects can contact the Baum Hedlund Law Firm at: (800) 827-0087.
http://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/

Evelyn Pringle
evelyn.pringle@sbcglobal.net

Written as part of the Paxil Litigation Monthly Round-Up, Sponsored by Baum Hedlund's Pharmaceutical Antidepressant Litigation Department, www.a-paxil-lawyer-source.com/, www.antidepressantadversereactions.com/, www.paxilbirthdefect.com

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