A recent study adds to the body of evidence suggesting that the drug Paxil (paroxetine HCl) is effective in treating social anxiety disorder / social phobia.

* note: social anxiety disorder is characterized by the fear of being observed or evaluated by others; sufferers report an overwhelming fear of embarrassment in social and performance situations.
* researchers at the University of Southampton conducted a 12-week, multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to compare the efficacy of Paxil (20-50 mg daily) to placebo, in 290 patients with social anxiety disorder.
* found a statistically significant symptom improvement in patients treated with Paxil within as little as four weeks of treatment onset, as measured by the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), which provides an assessment of a patient’s level of fear and avoidance of performance and/or social situations.
* the researchers say that Paxil was associated with a definitive reduction in symptoms of social anxiety disorder, increased participation in social activity, as well as a significant improvement in overall well being.
* Paxil (paroxetine), from SmithKline Beecham Pharma Canada, has been approved in 82 countries for the treatment of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic disorder in patients over the age of 18 and is indicated for the treatment of generalized social anxiety disorder in 35 countries, including the U.S.