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December 30, 2004 Eli Lilly, the US drug company, suppressed evidence that Prozac, its best-selling antidepressant, could cause behavioral disturbances, according to allegations published on Thursday in the British Medical Journal. The US Food and Drug Administration says it would review confidential Lilly documents handed over by the BMJ, which received them this month from an anonymous source. The reports and memos appear to suggest Lilly officials knew in the 1980s that Prozac had troubling side-effects and sought to minimize their likely adverse effect on prescribing. The journal says the documents “went missing” 10 years ago during a controversial product liability lawsuit filed on behalf of victims of Joseph Wesbecker, who shot eight colleagues dead, wounded 12 more and then killed himself. Mr Wesbecker had a history of depression and was prescribed Prozac a month before the shootings. One document, a clinical trial review dated November 1988, stated that 38 per cent of patients treated with Prozac but only 19 per cent of those given a placebo “reported new activation”. The FDA recently warned that Prozac and similar antidepressants could cause
“activation” stimulating agitation, panic attacks and aggression. Once again, Eli Lilly and Prozac are moving into the legal
spotlight. And once again, at issue is the CYP2D6
enzyme. The CYP2D6 enzyme is a liver enzyme, which regulates metabolism. Prozac
and other similar antidepressants inhibit or block your metabolism. If you
already have a slow metabolism and begin an antidepressant in this class,
extreme adverse reactions are assured. However, this time blood tests were performed and have
shown Daren Alli to have high levels of fluoxetine in the body. Fluoxetine is
Prozac’s active ingredient. Houston attorney, Andy Vickery is handling the case for the
family. Earlier this spring Andy Vickery settled out of court
another Prozac case which was won due to the metabolism issue. Last fall the first
Prozac case was settled from this evidence. There are tests available that determine if you will have
adverse reactions to antidepressants. Ask your doctor for this test before
you
take these medications. If you are currently taking an SSRI, it is advised you
still receive this simple test. Please click here to read more of this test procedure.
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