Zoloft® - Side Effects, Injuries & Lawsuit Information
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Zoloft® belongs to a category of drugs called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) that are used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), and panic disorder.
SSRI drugs manipulate the levels of serotonin in the brain, and are the most prescribed antidepressants in the United States. In 1998, a scientist at Pfizer, maker of Zoloft®, found that "all SSRIs have the rare potential to cause akathisia." When referring to the most extreme cases, the scientist wrote that the patients might feel "death is a welcome result".
Depression no longer carries the stigma it once did. The number of people diagnosed with depression since the 1980s has tripled, also due in part to education and public awareness. Everywhere you look, there are advertisements for antidepressants, including Zoloft®, Prozac®, and Paxil®, which have become common names to most people. Thus, the competition between drug companies to gain an edge over their competitors has also increased.
In recent years, more accusations have been made that critical information was withheld from physicians and the public by the drug's manufacturers and distributors. More specifically, drug company Pfizer allegedly did not release any alerts relating to the drug's potentially lethal side effects, its physiologically addictive nature, and the potential for severe withdrawal if use of the drug was discontinued.
Although drug manufacturers are required to disclose potential side effects and other relevant information, Zoloft.com only highlights the more benign side effects of the drug. The information provided by Pfizer to the Physicians' Desk Reference also neglects to mention the potentially life-threatening side effects, which include akathisia, suicidal thoughts and tendencies, mania, psychosis, convulsions, aggression, violence, severe withdrawal.
Without this crucial information, many patients and their doctors could not understand why there was aggressive behavior and increased depression during the use of a drug which is meant to as an anti-depressant.
Patients who have been negatively affected by Zoloft® and feel that they did not have access to crucial Zoloft® information when it was available to the drug companies should contact an attorney to discuss the potential liability issues involved in their circumstances.
Speak With A Zoloft® Lawyer
If you or a loved one suffered a serious Zoloft® side effect, you should consult with a Zoloft® lawyer as soon as possible to learn more about your legal rights. You may be entitled to compensation for medical costs, lost wages and pain and suffering. Contact us to speak with a lawyer.
