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Woman sues over drug
TRACY KENNEDY ,
Register Citizen Staff
10/18/2003
LITCHFIELD - An area woman is suing
the maker of Paxil, an antidepressant, in the death of her
husband in 2001.
In a
lawsuit filed on Thursday in Litchfield Superior Court, Erin
Hopey, the widow of the late Douglas Bruce Hopey, and
administer of his estate claims SmithKline Beecham
Corporation, the maker of Paxil is to blame for her husband’s
suicide.
Just months before Douglas Hopey’s death in
December 2001, a Wyoming jury awarded $6.4 to plaintiffs in
the first mass tort award against the maker of the
antidepressant. The jury ruled the actions of a Paxil user who
killed his wife, daughter, granddaughter and himself, was
influenced by drug.
Since then numerous cases have
been filed against the manufacturer across the country. In
August the Connecticut Department of Children and Families was
the first state agency to ban the use of Paxil in children.
The agency cited noted the government in the United
Kingdom also banned the drug for children in June because of
Paxil’s suicide risks. Although SmithKline Beecham which also
does business as GlaxoSmith Kline sent healthcare
professionals in that country a letter warning about suicide
risks and withdrawal symptoms. Reports indicate the company
has issued no such warning letter to American healthcare
workers.
In the lawsuit filed on Hope’s behalf by
Attorney Janis K. Malec of Hartford, the plaintiff claims the
pharmaceutical company was negligent when it failed to warn
patients and their doctors about the reported drug dependency,
dangerous side effects of withdrawal. Further, the complaint
notes standard mass tort allegations such misleading the Food
and Drug Administration, defective labeling, fraud, breach of
express and implied warranties.
The lawsuit claims
medical and funeral reimbursement and punitive damages against
the company for the estate and loss of consortium for Erin
Hopey individually.
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