Tuesday, September 21, 2004

What's next for depressed kids?
Boston Globe story - "Last week's finding by a government advisory panel that the newest generation of antidepressants is linked to suicidal behavior in a small percentage of children has left parents and care givers in a quandary as they weigh the drugs' risks against possible benefits and search for other options. The nine medications, which the Food and Drug Administration panel said should be labeled with the agency's sternest "black box" warning, already presented doctors with a confusing array of treatment choices..."  
  

SSRIs Can Impair Adolescents' Sexual Function
Reuters Health story at Medscape - "Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may commonly lead to sexual dysfunction in adolescents as in adults, but doctors aren't asking, according to psychiatrists at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Pediatric Antidepressant Use Has Declined, According to Medco Prescription Data
Reuters Health story at Medscape - "The number of children and teenagers prescribed antidepressants has fallen more than 20% this year after U.S. warnings that the drugs may increase suicidal tendencies among young people, pharmacy benefits manager Medco Health Solutions Inc. said on Tuesday. Medco, which acts as an intermediary between employers, health plans and drugmakers, said its research indicates an 18% decrease in the number of patients under age 18 who took an antidepressant in the first quarter of 2004. An additional 5% decrease was seen in the second quarter, it said..." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].