Ill. Federal Jury Awards Attorney’s Widow $3 Million in Paxil Suicide Action

CHICAGO — An Illinois federal jury has awarded $3 million to the widow of a law firm partner who committed suicide after ingesting generic Paxil, finding GlaxoSmithKline failed to adequately warn the decedent’s doctor of the antidepressant’s increased risk of suicidal behavior in adults of all ages.

The jury, sitting in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois, found the warning accompanying paroxetine — Paxil’s generic equivalent — did not warn that the drug can cause akathisia, a neurobiological phenomenon that has long been associated with suicidal behavior.

The jury awarded $2 million in wrongful death damages …