APA Urges Congress 'to Protect Our Young People Struggling with Mental Illnesses

[Guest guest]

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=36772

APA Urges Congress 'to Protect Our Young People Struggling with

Mental Illnesses'

9/23/2004 10:53:00 AM

---------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------

National Desk

Contact: Young, 703-907-8582 or jyoung@..., Lydia

Sermons-Ward, 703-907-8640 or lsward@..., both of the American

Psychiatric Association

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 23 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Today the American

Psychiatric Association (APA), in a letter from its medical

director, H. Scully Jr., M.D., Sc.D., urged Congress to

support four proposals to help protect young people struggling with

mental illnesses: 1.) enact a public clinical trials registry; 2.)

fund further research on pediatric depression and treatments; 3.)

call for enhanced training for those who prescribe antidepressant

medication to pediatric patients; and 4.) help assure medically

appropriate access to lifesaving medications.

The letter, sent to all members of the Senate and House of

Representatives, read:

On behalf of the more than 35,000 physician members of the American

Psychiatric Association (APA) and our patients, I write to urge your

support of four proposals to help protect our young people

struggling with mental illnesses, especially depression. Pediatric

depression is a very real illness that affects between three percent

and five percent of all young people. These young people need and

deserve our help.

The Sept. 13 and 14 Food and Drug Administration hearings, as well

as the FDA's March 22 public advisory, have increased public

attention to potential problems with antidepressants and their use

in some pediatric patients. While we share the desire of Congress to

protect public safety, the issue is complex and care must be taken

to ensure that patients have access to the treatments they need for

their illnesses. Key elements of a balanced response should include

the following:

1) Congress should enact legislation to establish a comprehensive

registry for all clinical trials conducted in the United States -- a

registry maintained by the federal government and free and open to

the public. We believe various bills currently contemplated in the

House and Senate are very helpful.

2) Congress should call for and fund further research to help us

better understand the effectiveness and safety of antidepressant

medications and their use in children.

3) Congress should call for additional education of medical

professionals who prescribe these medications - particularly those

professionals who are not psychiatric physicians. The APA is eager

to work with the federal government to advance the knowledge base to

ensure that these lifesaving medications are prescribed

appropriately when indicated and to ensure that patients are

properly monitored.

4) We respectfully urge you to be cognizant of the potential to

limit medically appropriate access to lifesaving medications. We

recognize that there is growing pressure on the FDA to issue

a " black box " warning on antidepressants. This must be measured

against recent prescription data that suggest the current

controversy has lowered treatment rates, a potentially alarming

trend. We note that the recent federally funded Treatment of

Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS) showed that patients

responded positively to a combination treatment (an antidepressant

plus a talk therapy) at a rate of 71 percent -- double the 35

percent response rate for patients on placebo. A black box warning

may have a chilling effect on appropriate prescribing for patients

that could result in putting seriously ill patients at grave risk.

Congress has the opportunity to help children and adolescents

struggling with mental illnesses, and we look forward to continuing

to work with you to achieve this goal. We commend you for your

interest in helping patients, families and physicians.

------

The American Psychiatric Association is a national medical specialty

society, founded in 1844, whose more than 35,000 physician members

specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental

illnesses including substance use disorders. For more information,

visit the APA Web site at http://www.psych.org

[Guest guest]

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=36772

APA Urges Congress 'to Protect Our Young People Struggling with

Mental Illnesses'

9/23/2004 10:53:00 AM

---------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------

National Desk

Contact: Young, 703-907-8582 or jyoung@..., Lydia

Sermons-Ward, 703-907-8640 or lsward@..., both of the American

Psychiatric Association

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 23 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Today the American

Psychiatric Association (APA), in a letter from its medical

director, H. Scully Jr., M.D., Sc.D., urged Congress to

support four proposals to help protect young people struggling with

mental illnesses: 1.) enact a public clinical trials registry; 2.)

fund further research on pediatric depression and treatments; 3.)

call for enhanced training for those who prescribe antidepressant

medication to pediatric patients; and 4.) help assure medically

appropriate access to lifesaving medications.

The letter, sent to all members of the Senate and House of

Representatives, read:

On behalf of the more than 35,000 physician members of the American

Psychiatric Association (APA) and our patients, I write to urge your

support of four proposals to help protect our young people

struggling with mental illnesses, especially depression. Pediatric

depression is a very real illness that affects between three percent

and five percent of all young people. These young people need and

deserve our help.

The Sept. 13 and 14 Food and Drug Administration hearings, as well

as the FDA's March 22 public advisory, have increased public

attention to potential problems with antidepressants and their use

in some pediatric patients. While we share the desire of Congress to

protect public safety, the issue is complex and care must be taken

to ensure that patients have access to the treatments they need for

their illnesses. Key elements of a balanced response should include

the following:

1) Congress should enact legislation to establish a comprehensive

registry for all clinical trials conducted in the United States -- a

registry maintained by the federal government and free and open to

the public. We believe various bills currently contemplated in the

House and Senate are very helpful.

2) Congress should call for and fund further research to help us

better understand the effectiveness and safety of antidepressant

medications and their use in children.

3) Congress should call for additional education of medical

professionals who prescribe these medications - particularly those

professionals who are not psychiatric physicians. The APA is eager

to work with the federal government to advance the knowledge base to

ensure that these lifesaving medications are prescribed

appropriately when indicated and to ensure that patients are

properly monitored.

4) We respectfully urge you to be cognizant of the potential to

limit medically appropriate access to lifesaving medications. We

recognize that there is growing pressure on the FDA to issue

a " black box " warning on antidepressants. This must be measured

against recent prescription data that suggest the current

controversy has lowered treatment rates, a potentially alarming

trend. We note that the recent federally funded Treatment of

Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS) showed that patients

responded positively to a combination treatment (an antidepressant

plus a talk therapy) at a rate of 71 percent -- double the 35

percent response rate for patients on placebo. A black box warning

may have a chilling effect on appropriate prescribing for patients

that could result in putting seriously ill patients at grave risk.

Congress has the opportunity to help children and adolescents

struggling with mental illnesses, and we look forward to continuing

to work with you to achieve this goal. We commend you for your

interest in helping patients, families and physicians.

------

The American Psychiatric Association is a national medical specialty

society, founded in 1844, whose more than 35,000 physician members

specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental

illnesses including substance use disorders. For more information,

visit the APA Web site at http://www.psych.org

[Guest guest]

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=36772

APA Urges Congress 'to Protect Our Young People Struggling with

Mental Illnesses'

9/23/2004 10:53:00 AM

---------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------

National Desk

Contact: Young, 703-907-8582 or jyoung@..., Lydia

Sermons-Ward, 703-907-8640 or lsward@..., both of the American

Psychiatric Association

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 23 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Today the American

Psychiatric Association (APA), in a letter from its medical

director, H. Scully Jr., M.D., Sc.D., urged Congress to

support four proposals to help protect young people struggling with

mental illnesses: 1.) enact a public clinical trials registry; 2.)

fund further research on pediatric depression and treatments; 3.)

call for enhanced training for those who prescribe antidepressant

medication to pediatric patients; and 4.) help assure medically

appropriate access to lifesaving medications.

The letter, sent to all members of the Senate and House of

Representatives, read:

On behalf of the more than 35,000 physician members of the American

Psychiatric Association (APA) and our patients, I write to urge your

support of four proposals to help protect our young people

struggling with mental illnesses, especially depression. Pediatric

depression is a very real illness that affects between three percent

and five percent of all young people. These young people need and

deserve our help.

The Sept. 13 and 14 Food and Drug Administration hearings, as well

as the FDA's March 22 public advisory, have increased public

attention to potential problems with antidepressants and their use

in some pediatric patients. While we share the desire of Congress to

protect public safety, the issue is complex and care must be taken

to ensure that patients have access to the treatments they need for

their illnesses. Key elements of a balanced response should include

the following:

1) Congress should enact legislation to establish a comprehensive

registry for all clinical trials conducted in the United States -- a

registry maintained by the federal government and free and open to

the public. We believe various bills currently contemplated in the

House and Senate are very helpful.

2) Congress should call for and fund further research to help us

better understand the effectiveness and safety of antidepressant

medications and their use in children.

3) Congress should call for additional education of medical

professionals who prescribe these medications - particularly those

professionals who are not psychiatric physicians. The APA is eager

to work with the federal government to advance the knowledge base to

ensure that these lifesaving medications are prescribed

appropriately when indicated and to ensure that patients are

properly monitored.

4) We respectfully urge you to be cognizant of the potential to

limit medically appropriate access to lifesaving medications. We

recognize that there is growing pressure on the FDA to issue

a " black box " warning on antidepressants. This must be measured

against recent prescription data that suggest the current

controversy has lowered treatment rates, a potentially alarming

trend. We note that the recent federally funded Treatment of

Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS) showed that patients

responded positively to a combination treatment (an antidepressant

plus a talk therapy) at a rate of 71 percent -- double the 35

percent response rate for patients on placebo. A black box warning

may have a chilling effect on appropriate prescribing for patients

that could result in putting seriously ill patients at grave risk.

Congress has the opportunity to help children and adolescents

struggling with mental illnesses, and we look forward to continuing

to work with you to achieve this goal. We commend you for your

interest in helping patients, families and physicians.

------

The American Psychiatric Association is a national medical specialty

society, founded in 1844, whose more than 35,000 physician members

specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental

illnesses including substance use disorders. For more information,

visit the APA Web site at http://www.psych.org

[Guest guest]

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=36772

APA Urges Congress 'to Protect Our Young People Struggling with

Mental Illnesses'

9/23/2004 10:53:00 AM

---------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------

National Desk

Contact: Young, 703-907-8582 or jyoung@..., Lydia

Sermons-Ward, 703-907-8640 or lsward@..., both of the American

Psychiatric Association

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 23 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Today the American

Psychiatric Association (APA), in a letter from its medical

director, H. Scully Jr., M.D., Sc.D., urged Congress to

support four proposals to help protect young people struggling with

mental illnesses: 1.) enact a public clinical trials registry; 2.)

fund further research on pediatric depression and treatments; 3.)

call for enhanced training for those who prescribe antidepressant

medication to pediatric patients; and 4.) help assure medically

appropriate access to lifesaving medications.

The letter, sent to all members of the Senate and House of

Representatives, read:

On behalf of the more than 35,000 physician members of the American

Psychiatric Association (APA) and our patients, I write to urge your

support of four proposals to help protect our young people

struggling with mental illnesses, especially depression. Pediatric

depression is a very real illness that affects between three percent

and five percent of all young people. These young people need and

deserve our help.

The Sept. 13 and 14 Food and Drug Administration hearings, as well

as the FDA's March 22 public advisory, have increased public

attention to potential problems with antidepressants and their use

in some pediatric patients. While we share the desire of Congress to

protect public safety, the issue is complex and care must be taken

to ensure that patients have access to the treatments they need for

their illnesses. Key elements of a balanced response should include

the following:

1) Congress should enact legislation to establish a comprehensive

registry for all clinical trials conducted in the United States -- a

registry maintained by the federal government and free and open to

the public. We believe various bills currently contemplated in the

House and Senate are very helpful.

2) Congress should call for and fund further research to help us

better understand the effectiveness and safety of antidepressant

medications and their use in children.

3) Congress should call for additional education of medical

professionals who prescribe these medications - particularly those

professionals who are not psychiatric physicians. The APA is eager

to work with the federal government to advance the knowledge base to

ensure that these lifesaving medications are prescribed

appropriately when indicated and to ensure that patients are

properly monitored.

4) We respectfully urge you to be cognizant of the potential to

limit medically appropriate access to lifesaving medications. We

recognize that there is growing pressure on the FDA to issue

a " black box " warning on antidepressants. This must be measured

against recent prescription data that suggest the current

controversy has lowered treatment rates, a potentially alarming

trend. We note that the recent federally funded Treatment of

Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS) showed that patients

responded positively to a combination treatment (an antidepressant

plus a talk therapy) at a rate of 71 percent -- double the 35

percent response rate for patients on placebo. A black box warning

may have a chilling effect on appropriate prescribing for patients

that could result in putting seriously ill patients at grave risk.

Congress has the opportunity to help children and adolescents

struggling with mental illnesses, and we look forward to continuing

to work with you to achieve this goal. We commend you for your

interest in helping patients, families and physicians.

------

The American Psychiatric Association is a national medical specialty

society, founded in 1844, whose more than 35,000 physician members

specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental

illnesses including substance use disorders. For more information,

visit the APA Web site at http://www.psych.org