Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Good News That Sounds So Wrong

From USAToday Online - http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-03-01-depress-warnings_x.htm

"Black box" labels warning that antidepressants can increase suicidal behavior in children should be on the drugs most widely prescribed to kids by mid-March, five months after the Food and Drug Administration ordered them, according to FDA documents.

Approval letters went out in mid-February to the makers of Prozac, Zoloft and Celexa, Cruzan says. In mid-January, the letter went to GlaxoSmithKline, maker of Paxil and Wellbutrin. These five antidepressants are the most widely prescribed to children, according to IMS Health, which tracks prescription drugs.

The warnings say that about 2 in 100 children taking antidepressants are more likely to think about or try suicide because they're on the pills.

An FDA scientific advisory panel recommended the black boxes, which are reserved for the most dangerous drugs, after a hearing in September.


Even Prozac causes a 50% higher risk of suicidal behavior in kids, according to an FDA analysis released last fall.
------------

Okay – reading that it just sounds wrong – a medicine to help depression causing suicide??????

I am glad this has been recognized but just shows you how tricky the world of depression really is

Okay my last few entries do have like a decided bleak/downer tone – I think it is because March 11th is coming up and it is like a date I am dreading and feeling blue about for a few reasons - blah, blech and crapola - plus one PMS side affect I experience is getting major/mega emotional and crying at everything (and that time is coming soon - also right around the 11th - maybes people should stay away for a few days)

I like really go off on a couple of topics when I PMS and those topics actually converge around the 11th – so like hang in there will hopefully have more perky entries soon…. :-/

No comments: