Judge Rules Proposed Nationwide Class of Individuals Injured by Paxil Lacks Definition, Manageability

LOS ANGELES - U.S. District Judge Maria Pfaelzer in a Jan. 10 order refused to certify a proposed nationwide class of individuals who allegedly suffered from withdrawal symptoms following the discontinuation of Paxil on grounds that the proposed class lacked definition and could not be managed efficiently. In re: Paxil Litigation, No. 01-07937 (C.D. Calif.).

Judge Pfaelzer ruled that the proposed class lacked definition because the plaintiffs' motion for class certification failed to adequately define what constituted 'severe' withdrawal symptoms. In addition, the plaintiffs' proposed two-stage trial plan is 'bound to result in trial management problems and jury confusion,' the …