Friday, November 02, 2007

Paxil's "Advantages"

Paxil and its advantages. Yeah, that's what this blog is about. I just recently retitled the blog; it was formerly known as the Paxil Pimp's Paradise. What am I talking about? I received an email a couple of days ago, to which I will reply in this post. Don't worry. In sticking with my informal confidentiality policy, I'll not reveal the identity of the person or his/her employer. Here is the email:
Respected Sir / Madam,

I read your review on website, please if you can provide me the the reviews for Advantages of Paroxetine for depression & anxiety. It would be more interesting if it would consist of recent data i.e. in year 2007.

I expect you [sic] early reply

Thank You.
Yes, this person works for a drug company. That's all I will reveal about the author of the email. Here is my reply...

Dear Sir/Madam,

Please see the following posts for a detailed explanation of the "advantages" of paroxetine (Paxil/Seroxat) as discussed previously on my site...
  • Advantage 1: Increases suicide attempts in patients.
  • Advantage 2: Potentially increases obesity in patients, though research is preliminary.
  • Advantage 3: Increase in birth defects for children whose mothers were taking Paxil while pregnant.
  • Advantage 4: Excellent marketing, both for social phobia and depression. Excellent use of misleading writing in so-called scientific journals when writing about the "advantages" of Paxil, including using euphemisms for unpleasantries like suicide attempts.
  • Advantage 5: Major discontinuation symptoms. Take Paxil for a while, try to stop and let me know what "advantage" you notice. See references at bottom of this post for a start. There are many more studies documenting clearly the difficulties with paroxetine withdrawal.
  • Advantage 6: Those wonderful sexual side effects. And they might last for a long time even after one stops taking the medication.
I hope you find this information useful in your search for the advantages of Paxil. I am flattered by your interest in my opinion on this matter. For additional information on paroxetine, you may want to consult Martin Keller, who has a somewhat different take than myself, but who is a potential recipient of the prestigious Golden Goblet Award for his excellent scientific work on paroxetine. Karen Wagner, another Golden Goblet Nominee, may also be an excellent source. You may also wish to consult the following websites:
Should I be able to assist further, please let me know. There are other sources with which you will want to be familiar. You may also want to contact Philip Dawdy regarding the advantages of atypical antipsychotics, and please see Aubrey Blumsohn regarding the advantages of Actonel in treating osteoporosis. Also, I hope you contact Jack Friday, Ed Silverman, or Peter Rost to provide industry cheerleading. For any questions regarding the excellent Rozerem advertising campaign, please see John Mack. Last but absolutely not least, for any advice regarding how to outsource your scientists, fake your clinical trials, and abuse your employees, please take advice from the sage Pharma Giles.

Sincerely Yours,

Paxil Pee-Yimp #1

5 comments:

Alex Chernavsky said...

This might have been covered under one of the many links included in your post, but I just wanted to mention another "advantage" of Paxil / Seroxat / paroxetine: It's made by a company that buries inconvenient data:

Not suicide, just plain murder

Anonymous said...

Hey! You forgot about Chucky Chuck Nemeroff who has touted Paxil as different from run-of-the-mill SSRIs. Chuck's line is that Paxil also inhibits the norepinephrine transporter, which he suggests makes it like a dual action antidepressant. Just what the doctor ordered! It's hard to find anybody else making such a claim, but hey, it's a great line.

GlaxoSmithKline, makers of Paxil, have long used Chuck as a front man in their PR puff pieces without revealing that he is a paid consultant and speaker for the corporation. For instance, the press release below announces the availability of Chuck and some of his friends to spin for GSK against an FDA ruling.






GlaxoSmithKline To Appeal Court Ruling On Paxil Television Ads

Philadelphia, PA, August 20, 2002 - GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) today announced it will appeal a ruling by a U.S. District Court judge in Los Angeles requiring the company to alter its television advertising for the anti-depressant Paxil® (paroxetine hydrochloride) that states that Paxil is not habit forming.

"We are very disappointed in the ruling. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - and not the courts - has the expertise and responsibility for reviewing and regulating pharmaceutical ads," said David Stout, president of U.S. Pharmaceuticals at GlaxoSmithKline. "The Paxil television ad was submitted for FDA review prior to use, and the Agency raised no objections to the language at issue."

"GSK strongly stands behind the safety and efficacy of Paxil," said Stout. "Physician organizations like the American Psychiatric Association have stated that antidepressants are not habit forming.1 It is also important to note that the Court has made no finding that Paxil is addictive or induces dependency."

Paxil is a leading selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) indicated for the treatment of depression and all major anxiety disorders including social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and health care companies, is committed to fighting disease by bringing innovative medicines and services to patients and to the health care providers who serve them. U.S. headquarters are in Philadelphia, PA, and Research Triangle Park, N.C.


Editor's Note

The following physicians are available for comment. To arrange an interview, please contact Sherri Jaffe at 914 656 5479.

Charles B. Nemeroff MD, PhD, Reunette W. Harris Professor and Chairman, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine

Alan F. Schatzberg MD, Professor and Chairman, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University Medical School

Vivien K. Burt MD, PhD, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, UCLA School of Medicine; Director, Women's Life Center, UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital

David V Sheehan MD, MBA, Professor of Psychiatry, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa Florida

1 "Let's Talk Facts About Depression," American Psychiatric Association, http://www.psych.org/public_info/depression.cfm

GSK Enquiries
US Media Nancy Pekarek office 215 751 4232
cell 215 778 0366
Michael Fleming office 215 751 7074
cell 302 463 7873


Updated August 20, 2002 - © 2001-2004 GlaxoSmithKline - All Rights Reserved
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Fid said...

Would love to know whom he worked for.

Quality post

Fid (Seroxat Sufferers Blog)

Unknown said...

I think pharmaceuticals that treat depression and other related mental illnesses are like walking on thin ice. Our understanding of the brain, its underlying structure, and its chemistry, is only in its infancy. Paxil and other drugs manufactured by the pharma giants are only a step or two away from the 'Soma' that was administered to everyone in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World as a panacea for every ailment.

Anonymous said...

Sorry..

Did someone just say "advantages of Paxil"?
Tha;ts kind of a contradiction in itself?..
Does Rat poison have advatages for the treatment of Depression and Anxiety?..
I compare Paxil to rat poison because in the clinical trials on rodents, they were dying and so were their pups( baby rats) ...

So is it any suprise that people are getting very ill when they take paxil too and that Paxil is now recognised as a cause of defects in human babies?..,

GSK .. dead rats? or dead people?...
doesn't seem to make much of a difference to them does it?...