Sharp increase in children hurt by prescription drugs

[Guest guest]

Sharp increase in children hurt by prescription drugs

Last Updated Tue, 17 Feb 2004 11:54:38

HALIFAX - The number of Canadian children harmed by suspected prescription drug

reactions has tripled in the last five years, CBC News has learned.

CBC obtained the database Health Canada uses to track suspected adverse drug

reactions. It shows about 500 reports of children who had what are suspected to

be adverse drug reactions in the last year.

The percentage of reported reactions considered serious - causing

hospitalization, disability or even death - has tripled since 1997.

Doctors are prescribing more SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor)

anti-depressants for children. But the CBC analysis suggests that only accounts

for a small percentage of the increase in reported serious drug reactions.

Dr. Supriya Sharma, with Health Canada's marketed products directorate, appeared

unaware of the trend.

" Hopefully, some of that is actually because we're stimulating reporting and

people are more aware of the system, " said Sharma.

" Again, we would really have to take a look at the numbers and see what does

that mean in terms of trends. "

At the request of CBC, a former biostatistician with the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration analyzed Health Canada's database. Elashoff concluded

that Canada's early warning system for tracking drugs that harm is a blunt tool.

" I think the quality of the database is indicative of fairly sloppy record

keeping and in general indicates a general lack of anyone particularly caring

about the quality of the database, " said Elashoff.

Doctors and nurses report fewer than one in 10 suspected adverse reactions to

Health Canada. Those who study adverse reactions say the department is lacking

staff and funding to effectively analyze the data they receive.

" Right now the average Canadian citizen - if they have a lot of confidence in

the adverse reaction system - it's misplaced because it's not a system that's

necessarily timely or to pick up things people need to know as soon as

possible, " said Dr. Reider, who runs a pediatric adverse drug reaction

clinic at the University of Western Ontario.

Reider says because most drugs aren't studied for use in children, tracking

adverse reactions is an important way of finding which drugs may be dangerous

for them.

Written by CBC News Online staff

Jim - Norman

" Never look at the trombones, it only encourages them. "

Strauss

[Guest guest]

Sharp increase in children hurt by prescription drugs

Last Updated Tue, 17 Feb 2004 11:54:38

HALIFAX - The number of Canadian children harmed by suspected prescription drug

reactions has tripled in the last five years, CBC News has learned.

CBC obtained the database Health Canada uses to track suspected adverse drug

reactions. It shows about 500 reports of children who had what are suspected to

be adverse drug reactions in the last year.

The percentage of reported reactions considered serious - causing

hospitalization, disability or even death - has tripled since 1997.

Doctors are prescribing more SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor)

anti-depressants for children. But the CBC analysis suggests that only accounts

for a small percentage of the increase in reported serious drug reactions.

Dr. Supriya Sharma, with Health Canada's marketed products directorate, appeared

unaware of the trend.

" Hopefully, some of that is actually because we're stimulating reporting and

people are more aware of the system, " said Sharma.

" Again, we would really have to take a look at the numbers and see what does

that mean in terms of trends. "

At the request of CBC, a former biostatistician with the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration analyzed Health Canada's database. Elashoff concluded

that Canada's early warning system for tracking drugs that harm is a blunt tool.

" I think the quality of the database is indicative of fairly sloppy record

keeping and in general indicates a general lack of anyone particularly caring

about the quality of the database, " said Elashoff.

Doctors and nurses report fewer than one in 10 suspected adverse reactions to

Health Canada. Those who study adverse reactions say the department is lacking

staff and funding to effectively analyze the data they receive.

" Right now the average Canadian citizen - if they have a lot of confidence in

the adverse reaction system - it's misplaced because it's not a system that's

necessarily timely or to pick up things people need to know as soon as

possible, " said Dr. Reider, who runs a pediatric adverse drug reaction

clinic at the University of Western Ontario.

Reider says because most drugs aren't studied for use in children, tracking

adverse reactions is an important way of finding which drugs may be dangerous

for them.

Written by CBC News Online staff

Jim - Norman

" Never look at the trombones, it only encourages them. "

Strauss

[Guest guest]

Sharp increase in children hurt by prescription drugs

Last Updated Tue, 17 Feb 2004 11:54:38

HALIFAX - The number of Canadian children harmed by suspected prescription drug

reactions has tripled in the last five years, CBC News has learned.

CBC obtained the database Health Canada uses to track suspected adverse drug

reactions. It shows about 500 reports of children who had what are suspected to

be adverse drug reactions in the last year.

The percentage of reported reactions considered serious - causing

hospitalization, disability or even death - has tripled since 1997.

Doctors are prescribing more SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor)

anti-depressants for children. But the CBC analysis suggests that only accounts

for a small percentage of the increase in reported serious drug reactions.

Dr. Supriya Sharma, with Health Canada's marketed products directorate, appeared

unaware of the trend.

" Hopefully, some of that is actually because we're stimulating reporting and

people are more aware of the system, " said Sharma.

" Again, we would really have to take a look at the numbers and see what does

that mean in terms of trends. "

At the request of CBC, a former biostatistician with the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration analyzed Health Canada's database. Elashoff concluded

that Canada's early warning system for tracking drugs that harm is a blunt tool.

" I think the quality of the database is indicative of fairly sloppy record

keeping and in general indicates a general lack of anyone particularly caring

about the quality of the database, " said Elashoff.

Doctors and nurses report fewer than one in 10 suspected adverse reactions to

Health Canada. Those who study adverse reactions say the department is lacking

staff and funding to effectively analyze the data they receive.

" Right now the average Canadian citizen - if they have a lot of confidence in

the adverse reaction system - it's misplaced because it's not a system that's

necessarily timely or to pick up things people need to know as soon as

possible, " said Dr. Reider, who runs a pediatric adverse drug reaction

clinic at the University of Western Ontario.

Reider says because most drugs aren't studied for use in children, tracking

adverse reactions is an important way of finding which drugs may be dangerous

for them.

Written by CBC News Online staff

Jim - Norman

" Never look at the trombones, it only encourages them. "

Strauss

[Guest guest]

Sharp increase in children hurt by prescription drugs

Last Updated Tue, 17 Feb 2004 11:54:38

HALIFAX - The number of Canadian children harmed by suspected prescription drug

reactions has tripled in the last five years, CBC News has learned.

CBC obtained the database Health Canada uses to track suspected adverse drug

reactions. It shows about 500 reports of children who had what are suspected to

be adverse drug reactions in the last year.

The percentage of reported reactions considered serious - causing

hospitalization, disability or even death - has tripled since 1997.

Doctors are prescribing more SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor)

anti-depressants for children. But the CBC analysis suggests that only accounts

for a small percentage of the increase in reported serious drug reactions.

Dr. Supriya Sharma, with Health Canada's marketed products directorate, appeared

unaware of the trend.

" Hopefully, some of that is actually because we're stimulating reporting and

people are more aware of the system, " said Sharma.

" Again, we would really have to take a look at the numbers and see what does

that mean in terms of trends. "

At the request of CBC, a former biostatistician with the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration analyzed Health Canada's database. Elashoff concluded

that Canada's early warning system for tracking drugs that harm is a blunt tool.

" I think the quality of the database is indicative of fairly sloppy record

keeping and in general indicates a general lack of anyone particularly caring

about the quality of the database, " said Elashoff.

Doctors and nurses report fewer than one in 10 suspected adverse reactions to

Health Canada. Those who study adverse reactions say the department is lacking

staff and funding to effectively analyze the data they receive.

" Right now the average Canadian citizen - if they have a lot of confidence in

the adverse reaction system - it's misplaced because it's not a system that's

necessarily timely or to pick up things people need to know as soon as

possible, " said Dr. Reider, who runs a pediatric adverse drug reaction

clinic at the University of Western Ontario.

Reider says because most drugs aren't studied for use in children, tracking

adverse reactions is an important way of finding which drugs may be dangerous

for them.

Written by CBC News Online staff

Jim - Norman

" Never look at the trombones, it only encourages them. "

Strauss