Threat of UK class action over Seroxat
Lawyers acting for 1,700 people in the UK have issued a pre-action letter of claim against GlaxoSmithKline alleging serious side-effects have been suffered by their clients taking one of its best-selling drugs, the anti-depressant Seroxat.
The legal case, which is being spearheaded by a leading firm of solicitors, represents an escalation of the challenges facing the drug.
Already, concerns over the addictive properties of Seroxat have led the UK Government to ban its prescription to people under the age of 18.
The UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency is expected to tighten up guidelines in the use of anti-depressants after a major safety review.
The drug is also facing challenges in the US, where it is marketed as Paxil. Regulators there want its labelling changed to highlight the risk factors more fully, while lawyers are looking to claim compensation on behalf of clients.
The legal company involved says that 1,700 clients are of different age groups and were selected from about 4,000 people who contacted the firm with complaints about the drug. "We have screened the complainants carefully so as to include only those whose symptoms we strongly feel have been brought on by the use of the drug," he said.
The claim is being brought under the Consumer Protection Act 1987. The claimants allege withdrawal problems and/or aggression and/or suicidal acts. The acting solicitor thinks the case will take at least two years to get to trial. Funding comes from a mixture of public funds and from legal insurance policies.
No call has been made for the the withdrawal of Seroxat. "It's a question of proper, informed choice. If doctors and patients are told the risks involved they can make an informed choice about whether to use the drug or not."
It is not clear what the scale of damages will be.
A statement from the solicitors involved notes that a World Health Organisation league table of the drugs that cause withdrawal difficulties puts Seroxat at the top, with twice as many reports as the next highest entry.
GlaxoSmithKline said it had recently received a letter of claim from the solicitors involved and it was considering it in detail.
The pharmaceuticals giant's chief executive has spoken recently about the need to speed the development of other drugs, especially of a cervical cancer vaccine that he feels could be a blockbuster, because of safety concerns with other drugs.
The Independent, 4 December, 2004If you feel that you have been affected by this, please get in touch >>