Back in February, PAL and Public Citizen filed an objection to a $63.8 Million class action settlement in Illinois state court in a case alleging that GlaxoSmithKline, the maker of Paxil, knew the drug was dangerous and ineffective when taken by children under the age of 18, but failed to inform parents and guardians of children who were prescribed it.

As a result of our objection, the parties agreed to make a number of important changes to the settlement. We felt these changes were beneficial and addressed most of our concerns, and so we withdrew our objection.

Now we are working to get the word out about this settlement, and to encourage parents and guardians who paid for any of the cost of Paxil prescribed to a child under 18 to submit a claim to receive a payment from this settlement.

If you (or anyone you know) has ever purchased Paxil or Paxil CR for a child or ward, you are entitled to recover 100% of your documented out-of-pocket expenses. Even if you didn’t keep receipts or other documentation of your Paxil purchases, you can still recover the amount you spent, up to $100. If you do have receipts or other documentation, you may be able to recover the entire amount that you spent.

You are a class member and eligible to submit a claim for payment if: • You live in the United States • You purchased Paxil or Paxil CR for someone under the age of 18

To receive compensation, you MUST submit a claim. If you do not submit a claim form by the deadline, August 31, 2007, you will forever lose your chance to receive a payment from this settlement.

To get full information about the settlement, including how to submit a claim, and a downloadable claim form, visit paxilpediatricsettlement.com Make sure to follow the claim form instructions carefully and attach copies of your receipts or records. You can also call 1-866-494-8404 for more information.

PAL wants to ensure that all eligible class members are notified of the settlement. Please help us do so by adding a link on your own website or blog to this entry and to the settlement website, http://www.paxilpediatricsettlement.com/. Please also forward this information to relevant email lists, online forums, advocacy groups, support groups, and medical providers.