FDA Acknowledges Antidepressants Increase Risk of Child and Adolescent Suicide

The Food and Drug Administration has acknowledged for the first time that antidepressants can increase the risk of child and adolescent suicide, sparking a heated debate on the safety of these medications. The agency's acknowledgment comes after a thorough investigation and public hearing, during which top officials revealed that analyses of 15 clinical trials showed a consistent link between the drugs and suicidal behavior. The FDA's director of the office of medical policy, Dr. Robert Temple, stated that the agency now believes there is an increase in suicidal thinking and action that is consistent across all the antidepressant drugs.

Key Takeaways:

• The FDA has acknowledged that antidepressants can increase the risk of child and adolescent suicide, contrary to previous claims that the risk was uncertain.
• Analyses of 15 clinical trials showed a consistent link between antidepressants and suicidal behavior in children and teenagers.
• The most popular antidepressant medications are Zoloft, Paxil, and Prozac, with nearly 11 million children and teenagers prescribed these medications in 2002.
• Agency officials stated that if 100 children and teenagers are given antidepressants, 2-3 will become suicidal who otherwise would not have if given placebos.
• A warning about the link between antidepressants and suicidal behavior was added to labels in March, but some experts argue that the warning is not strong enough.
• The FDA advisory committee is expected to make a decision on Tuesday on whether the labeling should be further strengthened or if the drugs should be banned for children.
• Several speakers at the hearing emphasized that clinicians would have little to offer depressed teenagers and children if antidepressants were banned, as they are proven effective in treating depression in adults.
• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers, and experts warn that banning antidepressants could lead to even more deaths.

Statistics:

• 15 clinical trials analyzed by the FDA showed a consistent link between antidepressants and suicidal behavior in children and teenagers.
• 11 million children and teenagers were prescribed antidepressants in 2002.
• 2-3 out of 100 children and teenagers who take antidepressants will become suicidal.
• Nearly 7 million prescriptions for antidepressants were written for children and adolescents in 2002.
• The National Institute of Mental Health study found that Prozac was more effective in treating depression in children and teenagers than talk therapy.

Sources:

• The New York Times
• The Washington Post
• Medical Journal of the American Medical Association (refers to the study conducted by Columbia University)
• National Institute of Mental Health report on antidepressants and suicide in teenagers.