FDAnews Marketing and Sales Bulletin

In an unprecedented move, Public Citizen has posted a video on YouTube.com soliciting potential participants in a settlement agreement under revised terms in a class action lawsuit against GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) over its antidepressant drug Paxil, the group announced.

GSK created a $63.8 million fund to compensate parents whose children took the antidepressants Paxil (paroxetine HCl) or Paxil CR before the age of 18 as part of a class action lawsuit settlement. Thousands of parents sought damages from the company, saying GSK failed to warn them that the drug was ineffective and had an increased risk of side effects when taken by children, Public Citizen said.

Parents with receipts can recover all of their out-of-pocket expenses for Paxil, and those without receipts can recover up to $100 from the fund, according to Public Citizen. However, GSK will recover any money not claimed by Aug. 31, the group added.

GSK was required to announce the settlement terms of a class action lawsuit in October 2005. However, the company was not required to publicize the new terms negotiated by Public Citizen in April 2007.The new settlement increased the amount class members without receipts can receive from $15 to $100.