Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Adherence to Maintenance-Phase Antidepressant Medication as a Function of Patient Beliefs About Medication Annals of Family Medicine article at Medscape - "Patients given maintenance anti depressants vary widely in adherence. This variation is primarily explained by the balance between their perceptions of need and harmfulness of antidepressant medication, in that adherence is lowest when perceived harm exceeds perceived need, and highest when perceived need exceeds perceived harm.We speculate on ways to tailor adherence strategies to patient beliefs.Subsequent research should determine whether patients' perceptions about medication predict depression outcomes, can be used to improve clinical management, and respond to behavioral intervention." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

FDA Again Turns Down Lexapro for Panic Disorder Reuters Health story at Medscape - "Drug maker Forest Laboratories Inc. said on Tuesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has turned down for a second time its bid to sell the antidepressant Lexapro as a treatment for panic disorder. The company said it is reviewing the FDA's response in order to determine how to proceed regarding the drug, which is now used to help treat depressive and anxiety disorders in adults." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Antidepressant labels start this month  USA Today story - " '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. 'It's unfortunate that it's taken this long,' says Joel Gurin, executive vice president of Consumers Union, a consumer advocacy group. 'It was really important for parents to have had this information. Getting it out quickly was important for transparency and trust.' "