$48 MILLION FUND FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WHO TOOK PAXIL

July 13, 2007

In June 2004, a class action lawsuit was brought against the makers of Paxil by parents and guardians of children who took the drug before they turned 18. Clinical studies have shown that Paxil increases suicidal thoughts in adolescents, and these parents believed this information was known and withheld by the drug company. In 2006, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the maker of Paxil, settled with the parents for $48 million.

Most consumers haven't even heard about the lawsuit, let alone that it resulted in a large settlement. That is why we are writing to you. If you are the parent or guardian of a child who took Paxil anytime after 1992, you are eligible to receive money under the settlement. And you should alert other parents who may fall into this category.

In an effort to spread the word, Public Citizen launched www.paxilpayback.org as a public service. It is designed to inform parents about the $48 million fund created by the drug company to pay them back for the money they spent on their children's Paxil.

Even without receipts, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) will provide refunds to parents or guardians who paid for Paxil for their children of up to $100. With receipts, parents can recover all the money they spent on Paxil for their kids. The settlement fund expires on August 31, 2007, so claims must be received before this date. If the valid claims received total less than $48 million, the difference will be returned to GSK.

Public Citizen got involved in the suit to make the terms of this agreement more favorable to consumers. Public Citizen will not benefit in any way if you claim a portion of the settlement.

Did your children ever take Paxil when they were minors? Visit www.paxilpayback.org, share the information and help parents and guardians get the refund they deserve.