Glaxo Distorted Paxil Data?

According to the BBC:

GlaxoSmithKline Plc was accused on Monday of distorting clinical trial results of its antidepressant Seroxat, or Paxil, and covering up a link with suicide in teenagers.

The BBC plans to air a Panorama program later saying the drug company attempted to show that Seroxat worked for depressed children despite failed clinical trials and that Glaxo-employed ghostwriters influenced "independent" academics.

Here's the BBC story.

I haven't directly looked at the data for this drug or for Vioxx because I try make at least some minimal effort at having a life. But speaking broadly about these situations, it seems to me any drug that actual works physiologically is going to show increased health risks over time. That doesn't really strike me as news. The problem seems to be that these companies are trying to hide the negative data and getting into trouble. Even if they're technically following the laws and regulations (which I have not looked at) they're obviously bumbling the PR aspect. That being said GSK denies it:

Only when all the data became available, at the end of the research programme, and were analysed together was an increased rate of suicidal thinking or attempted suicide revealed in those paediatric patients taking Seroxat.

GSK brought this analysis to the attnetion of the regulatory authorities, including in the UK.

I guess we'll see.

Genentech seems to be much smarter about handling this phenomena.

Genentech Inc. warned doctors that people using Lucentis, a treatment for the leading cause of blindness among the elderly, may face an increased risk of stroke.

As I understand it there was already a stroke warning on the bottle, but they decided to send the letters anyway.

(h/t: bioethics.com)