Last Updated on March 2, 2021 by
Effexor withdrawal lawsuit actions for damages are likely one reason the drug fell in 2007 from the sixth most prescribed antidepressant to the 12th spot in 2009.
SNRI’s are designed to prevent serotonin (excitatory neurotransmitter) and norepinephrine (another type of neurotransmitter) from being absorbed into the nerve pathways. The idea is that the buildup of these naturally occurring hormones can stimulate a lift in mood for those suffering from depression. Effexor was the first SNRI drug to reach the market back in 1993, and many similar drugs have followed under different names, not only prescribed for depression but GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), insomnia, and other reasons.
One wishes the advertised claims were valid, concerning how effective SNRI drug therapies could be. But according to many studies, it has been found that, in the main, antidepressants are no more effective than a placebo, except in extraordinarily severe cases of depression, researchers have reported.
However, these drugs do have adverse effects (in contrast to inert placebos) that are debilitating, regardless of any initial efficacy, and the withdrawals for which people have sued Pfizer for damages can also be severe. In fact, Effexor withdrawals are considered to be the most severe of any other drug in its drug class.