Lawsuit blames Zoloft for teenager's suicide

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From Wildestcolts another gut wrenching story.

Lawsuit blames Zoloft for teenager's suicide

By Pamela Manson

The Salt Lake Tribune

A South Jordan couple on Tuesday accused pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. of

negligence in their daughter's " tragic, maddening, wrongful death " for allegedly

failing to warn doctors of a link between its antidepressant Zoloft and teenage

suicide.

In a suit filed in U.S. District Court, the parents of Shyra Marie Kallas say

the 15-year-old shot herself in November 2002, less than a month after her

family physician prescribed the antidepressant.

The girl originally went to see the doctor for warts but said, as part of her

patient history, that she felt overwhelmed with school work, according to Ken

and Kallas' suit.

" Her doctor then did precisely what Pfizer's salesmen regularly encourage

doctors to do, i.e., he (a) diagnosed 'depression' and ( prescribed Zoloft, "

claims the suit, which seeks unspecified damages.

The legal action alleges Pfizer knew of an association between Zoloft and

side effects that increase the risk for suicide. However, it claims, the company

continued to overpromote the medication and misled the public about the risk,

touting Zoloft as the " number one doctor-trusted antidepressant. "

Pfizer representatives could not be reached for comment Tuesday. In its 2004

third-quarter performance report released last week, the New York City-based

company said, " Zoloft is not approved for pediatric depression. In fact, there

have been no suicides in the Zoloft pediatric clinical program.

" Pfizer remains confident in the proven safety and efficacy of Zoloft to

treat millions of patients with mood and anxiety disorders. "

In an Oct. 15 advisory, the Food and Drug Administration said all

antidepressants will now carry labels that include a boxed warning about the

increased risk of suicide they pose to children and adolescents.

Shyra was described in her obituary as a star athlete who loved art, nature

and camping with her family.

pmanson@...

[Guest guest]

From Wildestcolts another gut wrenching story.

Lawsuit blames Zoloft for teenager's suicide

By Pamela Manson

The Salt Lake Tribune

A South Jordan couple on Tuesday accused pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. of

negligence in their daughter's " tragic, maddening, wrongful death " for allegedly

failing to warn doctors of a link between its antidepressant Zoloft and teenage

suicide.

In a suit filed in U.S. District Court, the parents of Shyra Marie Kallas say

the 15-year-old shot herself in November 2002, less than a month after her

family physician prescribed the antidepressant.

The girl originally went to see the doctor for warts but said, as part of her

patient history, that she felt overwhelmed with school work, according to Ken

and Kallas' suit.

" Her doctor then did precisely what Pfizer's salesmen regularly encourage

doctors to do, i.e., he (a) diagnosed 'depression' and ( prescribed Zoloft, "

claims the suit, which seeks unspecified damages.

The legal action alleges Pfizer knew of an association between Zoloft and

side effects that increase the risk for suicide. However, it claims, the company

continued to overpromote the medication and misled the public about the risk,

touting Zoloft as the " number one doctor-trusted antidepressant. "

Pfizer representatives could not be reached for comment Tuesday. In its 2004

third-quarter performance report released last week, the New York City-based

company said, " Zoloft is not approved for pediatric depression. In fact, there

have been no suicides in the Zoloft pediatric clinical program.

" Pfizer remains confident in the proven safety and efficacy of Zoloft to

treat millions of patients with mood and anxiety disorders. "

In an Oct. 15 advisory, the Food and Drug Administration said all

antidepressants will now carry labels that include a boxed warning about the

increased risk of suicide they pose to children and adolescents.

Shyra was described in her obituary as a star athlete who loved art, nature

and camping with her family.

pmanson@...

[Guest guest]

From Wildestcolts another gut wrenching story.

Lawsuit blames Zoloft for teenager's suicide

By Pamela Manson

The Salt Lake Tribune

A South Jordan couple on Tuesday accused pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. of

negligence in their daughter's " tragic, maddening, wrongful death " for allegedly

failing to warn doctors of a link between its antidepressant Zoloft and teenage

suicide.

In a suit filed in U.S. District Court, the parents of Shyra Marie Kallas say

the 15-year-old shot herself in November 2002, less than a month after her

family physician prescribed the antidepressant.

The girl originally went to see the doctor for warts but said, as part of her

patient history, that she felt overwhelmed with school work, according to Ken

and Kallas' suit.

" Her doctor then did precisely what Pfizer's salesmen regularly encourage

doctors to do, i.e., he (a) diagnosed 'depression' and ( prescribed Zoloft, "

claims the suit, which seeks unspecified damages.

The legal action alleges Pfizer knew of an association between Zoloft and

side effects that increase the risk for suicide. However, it claims, the company

continued to overpromote the medication and misled the public about the risk,

touting Zoloft as the " number one doctor-trusted antidepressant. "

Pfizer representatives could not be reached for comment Tuesday. In its 2004

third-quarter performance report released last week, the New York City-based

company said, " Zoloft is not approved for pediatric depression. In fact, there

have been no suicides in the Zoloft pediatric clinical program.

" Pfizer remains confident in the proven safety and efficacy of Zoloft to

treat millions of patients with mood and anxiety disorders. "

In an Oct. 15 advisory, the Food and Drug Administration said all

antidepressants will now carry labels that include a boxed warning about the

increased risk of suicide they pose to children and adolescents.

Shyra was described in her obituary as a star athlete who loved art, nature

and camping with her family.

pmanson@...

[Guest guest]

From Wildestcolts another gut wrenching story.

Lawsuit blames Zoloft for teenager's suicide

By Pamela Manson

The Salt Lake Tribune

A South Jordan couple on Tuesday accused pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. of

negligence in their daughter's " tragic, maddening, wrongful death " for allegedly

failing to warn doctors of a link between its antidepressant Zoloft and teenage

suicide.

In a suit filed in U.S. District Court, the parents of Shyra Marie Kallas say

the 15-year-old shot herself in November 2002, less than a month after her

family physician prescribed the antidepressant.

The girl originally went to see the doctor for warts but said, as part of her

patient history, that she felt overwhelmed with school work, according to Ken

and Kallas' suit.

" Her doctor then did precisely what Pfizer's salesmen regularly encourage

doctors to do, i.e., he (a) diagnosed 'depression' and ( prescribed Zoloft, "

claims the suit, which seeks unspecified damages.

The legal action alleges Pfizer knew of an association between Zoloft and

side effects that increase the risk for suicide. However, it claims, the company

continued to overpromote the medication and misled the public about the risk,

touting Zoloft as the " number one doctor-trusted antidepressant. "

Pfizer representatives could not be reached for comment Tuesday. In its 2004

third-quarter performance report released last week, the New York City-based

company said, " Zoloft is not approved for pediatric depression. In fact, there

have been no suicides in the Zoloft pediatric clinical program.

" Pfizer remains confident in the proven safety and efficacy of Zoloft to

treat millions of patients with mood and anxiety disorders. "

In an Oct. 15 advisory, the Food and Drug Administration said all

antidepressants will now carry labels that include a boxed warning about the

increased risk of suicide they pose to children and adolescents.

Shyra was described in her obituary as a star athlete who loved art, nature

and camping with her family.

pmanson@...