British researchers say thousands of children being given unsuitable
anti-depressant drugs
In Britain alone, an
estimated 30-40,000 thousand children and teenagers are prescribed a class
of anti-depressant drugs known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors,
or SSRIs. Half of them are treated with fluoxetine (Prozac).
Yet, according to a
report by Alasdair Breckenridge, Chair of the Medicines and Healthcare
Products Regulatory Agency, the majority of these drugs are not suitable for
people under 18 years of age. The agency is the British counterpart of the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
His report was based on
a study of the safety of SSRIs, which concluded that the risks of treating
depressive illness in under 18s with certain SSRIs outweigh the benefits of
treatment. Some drugs have been linked with suicidal thoughts and self-harm
in children and adolescents.
In June, 2003, a
warning was issued about the use of paroxetine (Seroxat) in children under
the age of 18, and further advice was given in September about the use of
venlafaxine (Efexor).
Professor Gordon Duff,
Chairman of the Committee on Safety of Medicines, said: "The CSM Expert
Group has delivered comprehensive advice on the use of these drugs in
children and young people following a thorough review of all the evidence
available. This gives parents, young people and those who treat these
devastating illnesses the information they need to make informed decisions
about treatment."
None of these drugs
studied have been licensed for use in those under 18, yet they are
prescribed by doctors in Britain and throughout the world.
"It is therefore
important that patients, parents and doctors are aware of the new advice.
Young people with depressive illness currently taking any SSRI other than
fluoxetine should not stop taking their medicine but should consult their
doctor for advice on treatment,” said Breckenridge.
Despite the results of
the study, the British drug regulators refused to ban the drug or prohibit
their use for patients under 18.
According to a New
York Times report, there are no reliable estimates of how many American
children and teenagers are on antidepressants, but studies indicate the
number has risen sharply over the past decade.
SOURCES:
“Safety review of antidepressants used by children completed.”
British Medicines and Healthcare Products
Regulatory Agency, Dec.11, 2003.
”British Warning on Antidepressant
Use for Youth,” The New
York Times, December 11, 2003.
