Glaxo Settles Paxil Side Effects Lawsuits, Average Settlement $1.2 Million

Newark, NJGlaxoSmithKline (Glaxo), the largest drug manufacturer in the UK, is believed to have paid out about $1 billion to settle various Paxil lawsuits since the drug first came onto the market in 1993. Earlier this month it was announced that Glaxo has agreed to pay another $1 billion to settle more than 800 outstanding cases alleging Paxil birth defects.

span itemprop="image" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject" style="display:block">The settlement bill was revealed in the 7/21/10 edition of the Star-Ledger of Newark. Citing people familiar with the settlements, the newspaper noted that there are still about 100 Paxil birth defect cases still in the pipeline. Glaxo is reported to have said on July 15 that it had set aside a total of $2.4 billion to resolve litigation over Paxil and another drug.

The settlements have averaged in excess of $1.2 million for each family that brought a lawsuit against the manufacturer for alleged heart defects and other side effects suffered by their children.

It is not known if, under terms of the settlement, the manufacturer accepted any wrongdoing or moral liability for Paxil beyond undertaking the financial settlements.