Article: FDA Hears Antidepressant-Kid Suicide Debate

FDA Hears Antidepressant-Kid Suicide Debate


By Daniel DeNoon
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Monday, February 02, 2004

Do antidepressants make some children suicidal? If so, do the drugs' benefits outweigh their risks? It is not easy to answer this question as much of the data remains in the hands of the pharmaceutical companies that sponsored the studies. Also, when the drug companies were asked to comb through their data for any sign that antidepressants increased suicidal thoughts or behaviors, the results were disappointing. The different companies interpreted the FDA request in different ways, making the resulting information difficult to interpret.

At the heart of the problem is the nature of depression and its treatment. Depression can be deadly. Suicide is much more common in depressed people than in others. Children react differently to antidepressants than adults. And there's reason to think that antidepressants may, in some people, lead to changes in brain chemistry that make suicidal behavior more likely. On the other hand, untreated depression can lead to suicide, too. Advocates of antidepressants warn that the FDA should not take one of the few treatments for depression out of the hands of doctors.

SEE: http://www.webmd.com/content/article/81/96955.htm

Thanks to Helen F.