On 13 December 2006 Paul Brandon wrote [snip]: > And to increase the anxiety a bit more ....
> The Associated Press > Wednesday, December 13, 2006; 6:17 PM > > WASHINGTON -- Antidepressants increase the risk of suicidal behavior > for people up to age 24, the government said Wednesday. It plans new > warning labels, and says users of all ages should be closely > monitored. > > The Food and Drug Administration presented its plan to update the > drug labels at a meeting of outside advisers on the issue. They > endorsed the plan. > > The FDA also stressed that patients of all ages should continue to be > carefully monitored for signs of suicidal tendencies when they are > beginning treatment on the drugs. Hey, Paul, haven't I had enough to deal with from TIPSters whose knowledge of the extensive literature on the efficacy of antidepressants appears to extend little beyond whichever articles are highlighted in the New York Times? -:) Not to mention dotty claims that Freud's theories of hysterical conversion have been "validated" by brain scans! Writing from recollections of the fairly recent discussion of this issue in the UK, the concerns at the time were mostly in relation to the effects of one drug (Prozac?) on children under 18 though in fact the information about its use by the manufacturers had specifically excluded children. There was also a one-sided documentary on BBC TV that made anecdotally-based claims that Seroxat induced suicidal feelings among some adult users (of which there have now been millions of people). I can't begin to go into this now, as I simply don't have enough information. I can only remark that in relation to the UK debate it was pointed out that for many of the very large numbers of people taking Prozac or Seroxat, suicidal feelings were part of the symptomatology for the problems for which they were being treated, and this must be taken into account. Also, in some cases at least, adverse responses occurred when patients took themselves off the drug suddenly, instead of phasing out its use over a period of time. And, as with all drugs, the relatively rare severe adverse responses out of millions of users should be balanced against the potential positive benefits for disorders for which suicidal inclinations are one of the symptoms for many people. (Speaking personally again, it certainly has been the case for me.) As I say, I don't know the evidence on which the FDA warning is based, and of course it is important that both patients and practitioners are aware of possible adverse effects of this nature, but the matter has to be considered in the round, taking into account *everything* that is relevant. For quite a lot of people the psychiatric disorder itself, untreated, is a potential cause of suicidal inclinations. I would also add that there is little doubt that in the UK antidepressants are over-prescribed by GPs, under heavy pressure from overloaded patient lists and with insufficient time to deal adequately with patients presenting with time-consuming psychological/emotional/psychiatric problems. I'm sure (possibly for different reasons, such as medics being influenced by exaggerated claims in manufacturers' publicity literature also a factor in the UK) this is also the case in the States. If the FDA warning helps to encourage more discriminating targeting of the patient population, and more careful monitoring, that can only be a good thing. Allen Esterson Former lecturer, Science Department Southwark College, London http://www.esterson.org/ -------------------------------------------------------------- Wed, 13 Dec 2006 18:57:15 -0600 Author: Paul Brandon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: SSRIs and depression and anxiety > And to increase the anxiety a bit more .... > > FDA May Expand Antidepressant Warning > > By ANDREW BRIDGES > The Associated Press > Wednesday, December 13, 2006; 6:17 PM > > WASHINGTON -- Antidepressants increase the risk of suicidal behavior > for people up to age 24, the government said Wednesday. It plans new > warning labels, and says users of all ages should be closely > monitored. > > The Food and Drug Administration presented its plan to update the > drug labels at a meeting of outside advisers on the issue. They > endorsed the plan. > > The FDA also stressed that patients of all ages should continue to be > carefully monitored for signs of suicidal tendencies when they are > beginning treatment on the drugs. > -- > * PAUL K. BRANDON [EMAIL PROTECTED] * > * Psychology Department 507-389-6217 * > * 23 Armstrong Hall Minnesota State University, Mankato * > * http://krypton.mnsu.edu/%7Epkbrando/ * --- To make changes to your subscription go to: http://acsun.frostburg.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=tips&text_mode=0&lang=english
