‘Thousands of Missouri parents are entitled to refunds for
antidepressants prescribed to children because the drugs were unapproved
for use in that age group, a federal judge has ruled.
Forest Laboratories and its subsidiary Forest Pharmaceuticals, which
is based in Earth City, agreed to pay up to $10.4 million in refunds for
misleading parents into giving the drugs Celexa and Lexapro to children
and teenagers, according to a recent settlement of a class action
lawsuit.
A judge in the case ruled that under the Missouri Merchandising
Practices Act, “parents have the right to be fully informed about the
potential efficacy of a drug,” said Brent Wisner, a Los Angeles-based
attorney for the plaintiffs.’
Read more: Drug maker hid trial data, bribed doctors to prescribe antidepressants to children