Brown & Crouppen is currently evaluating cases involving patients who have taken the prescription antidepressant drug Zoloft, and have committed suicide while either on the drug, or while experiencing withdrawal symptoms when stopping use. We believe that drug companies who place profit above people must be held accountable for their negligence and the damage they cause to innocent victim’s lives. Our lawyers, skills, credentials and resources have helped our clients get compensation from the manufacturers and suppliers of unsafe drugs and products.

Zoloft, (known generically as sertraline), is manufactured and marketed by Pfizer, Inc. Zoloft belongs to a class of drugs known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, or SSRIs. Other drugs in this class are Prozac (generically known as fluoxetine), manufactured and marketed by Eli Lilly and Company, and Paxil (also known as paroxetine) which was created by SmithKline Beecham Corporation, now known as GlaxoSmithKline.

Zoloft is used to treat depression, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder in adults, children and adolescents. The drug has been the focus of dozens of complaints because of the drug’s side effects:

Serious

• An allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives)
• Irregular heartbeat or pulse
• Low blood pressure (dizziness, weakness)
• High blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision)
• Chills or fever

Less Serious

• Headache
• Tremor, nervousness or anxiety
• Nausea, diarrhea, dry mouth, or changes in appetite or weight
• Sleepiness or insomnia
• Decreased sex drive, impotence or difficulty having an orgasm.

Zoloft, like many of the other SSRIs, have been reported to induce agitated, suicidal or homicidal behavior. Pfizer lists agitation and hypomania and/or mania activation as one of Zoloft’s possible side effects. This agitation is what some patients are claiming made them engage in various illegal agitated behaviors, including murder.

SSRIs have become notorious for their alleged ability to induce children to violence and suicide, and numerous reports have emerged linking use of SSRIs directly to crime and suicide. More than 200 lawsuits have been filed against the three SSRI manufacturers – Pfizer, Lilly and GlaxoSmithKline, although each company denies any such links.

On October 15, 2004, the FDA issued a public health advisory stating that all antidepressant drugs will now carry “black box” warnings on their labels, alerting physicians and others to the increased risk of suicide they pose to children and adolescents. The warnings are to appear on more than 30 antidepressants, including Zoloft.

The FDA's action put in force the recommendation made by its advisory panels the month before. An analysis of the SSRIs showed that the risk of such adverse events as having suicidal thoughts was twice as great for young patients on antidepressants as it was for those on placebo. The “black box” warning included this point: Antidepressant drugs increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders.

Please consult your physician before discontinuing any medication.

Brown & Crouppen has been building a reputation for success with personal injury clients for almost 25 years. Today, we are one of mid-America’s largest personal injury law firms with over 70 legal professionals and five offices throughout Missouri and Illinois. Brown & Crouppen has thrived because of our shared commitment to deliver the best possible service to clients throughout Missouri and the United States. A large area of our concentration is dangerous drug litigation involving manufacturers and suppliers of unsafe drugs and products.

If you have been injured by Zoloft or any other dangerous drug, the manufacturer may have failed in its duty to design, make, inspect and label the product appropriately.

You can count on the lawyers of Brown & Crouppen for top-notch legal skills and our commitment to making the justice system work for our clients. If you have legal concerns and would like to benefit from the support of a strong team of legal professionals, please contact us online or call our office today at Toll-Free: 866-991-4700.