Study Advises Against Drugs for Children in Depression <-IMPORTANT

[Guest guest]

This is one to print and spread around. It flys in the face of all the

psychiatrists in the USA still insisting that these drugs are safe and

effective.

April 9, 2004

Study Advises Against Drugs for Children in Depression

By GARDINER HARRIS

ediatricians and family physicians should not prescribe antidepressants for

depressed children and adolescents because the drugs barely work and their side

effects are often significant, Australian researchers have concluded.

The researchers analyzed data from five published trials of three

antidepressants, Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil, in depressed patients under age 18.

They found that the drugs offered only a " very modest " benefit over placebos.

At the same time, the drugs carry significant risks, the researchers said in

their report, published in today's issue of the British medical journal BMJ.

" If the drugs were highly advantageous over placebo, then you'd live with the

risks, " Jon Jureidini, a child psychiatrist in Adelaide and the study's lead

author, said in an interview. " If the drugs were completely safe, then you might

argue that there's nothing wrong with giving something that's only slightly

better than a placebo. "

However, Dr. Jureidini said, neither is true, so antidepressants should not be

prescribed for children and adolescents except in extreme circumstances.

" We strongly want to say that non-child-psychiatrists should not be initiating

the prescribing of " the antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake

inhibitors or S.S.R.I.'s, a class that includes Eli Lilly's Prozac, Pfizer's

Zoloft, and GlaxoKline's Paxil, Dr. Jureidini said.

The study is the latest salvo in an increasingly bitter war over whether

prescribing antidepressants to children and adolescents is appropriate.

Dr. ph Glenmullen, author of " Prozac Backlash " and a fierce critic of the

pills, said the latest study further vindicated his view that antidepressants

can be dangerous. " What this shows is that, on balance, there is no good reason

to prescribe these pills, " Dr. Glenmullen said.

However, Dr. Graham Emslie, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas

Southwestern Medical Center, who was an author of some of the studies reviewed

in the article, said the study was " illogical. "

" I wish the effect size of these drugs was bigger, but at least there's some

effect, " Dr. Emslie said. " Some of these kids are severely depressed and we've

got to do something. "

Dr. Emslie, like many psychiatric researchers, is a consultant to pharmaceutical

companies.

The Australian researchers suggested that psychiatrists offer children talk

therapy in place of the drugs. But Dr. Emslie said that only one study had shown

that talk therapy was beneficial.

" If people could offer better treatments than drugs, it'd be great, " Dr. Emslie

said.

British drug regulators have cautioned doctors against using any antidepressant

but Prozac to treat depressed children and adolescents because the drugs have

not proved effective against depression and may increase the risk of suicidal

thoughts and behavior.

The Food and Drug Administration recently issued a warning that all patients

taking antidepressants should be closely monitored by doctors, especially in the

first weeks. But the agency emphasized that it had not concluded that the drugs

caused suicidal thinking or behavior.

Dr. ce Greenhill, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia

University, said neither side in the debate had a monopoly on truth.

" I think that these medications are neither as much of a silver bullet as the

advocates would have it nor as terrible as the critics would say, " Dr. Greenhill

said.

Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company | Home | Privacy Policy | Search |

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Jim - Norman

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

Strauss

[Guest guest]

This is one to print and spread around. It flys in the face of all the

psychiatrists in the USA still insisting that these drugs are safe and

effective.

April 9, 2004

Study Advises Against Drugs for Children in Depression

By GARDINER HARRIS

ediatricians and family physicians should not prescribe antidepressants for

depressed children and adolescents because the drugs barely work and their side

effects are often significant, Australian researchers have concluded.

The researchers analyzed data from five published trials of three

antidepressants, Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil, in depressed patients under age 18.

They found that the drugs offered only a " very modest " benefit over placebos.

At the same time, the drugs carry significant risks, the researchers said in

their report, published in today's issue of the British medical journal BMJ.

" If the drugs were highly advantageous over placebo, then you'd live with the

risks, " Jon Jureidini, a child psychiatrist in Adelaide and the study's lead

author, said in an interview. " If the drugs were completely safe, then you might

argue that there's nothing wrong with giving something that's only slightly

better than a placebo. "

However, Dr. Jureidini said, neither is true, so antidepressants should not be

prescribed for children and adolescents except in extreme circumstances.

" We strongly want to say that non-child-psychiatrists should not be initiating

the prescribing of " the antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake

inhibitors or S.S.R.I.'s, a class that includes Eli Lilly's Prozac, Pfizer's

Zoloft, and GlaxoKline's Paxil, Dr. Jureidini said.

The study is the latest salvo in an increasingly bitter war over whether

prescribing antidepressants to children and adolescents is appropriate.

Dr. ph Glenmullen, author of " Prozac Backlash " and a fierce critic of the

pills, said the latest study further vindicated his view that antidepressants

can be dangerous. " What this shows is that, on balance, there is no good reason

to prescribe these pills, " Dr. Glenmullen said.

However, Dr. Graham Emslie, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas

Southwestern Medical Center, who was an author of some of the studies reviewed

in the article, said the study was " illogical. "

" I wish the effect size of these drugs was bigger, but at least there's some

effect, " Dr. Emslie said. " Some of these kids are severely depressed and we've

got to do something. "

Dr. Emslie, like many psychiatric researchers, is a consultant to pharmaceutical

companies.

The Australian researchers suggested that psychiatrists offer children talk

therapy in place of the drugs. But Dr. Emslie said that only one study had shown

that talk therapy was beneficial.

" If people could offer better treatments than drugs, it'd be great, " Dr. Emslie

said.

British drug regulators have cautioned doctors against using any antidepressant

but Prozac to treat depressed children and adolescents because the drugs have

not proved effective against depression and may increase the risk of suicidal

thoughts and behavior.

The Food and Drug Administration recently issued a warning that all patients

taking antidepressants should be closely monitored by doctors, especially in the

first weeks. But the agency emphasized that it had not concluded that the drugs

caused suicidal thinking or behavior.

Dr. ce Greenhill, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia

University, said neither side in the debate had a monopoly on truth.

" I think that these medications are neither as much of a silver bullet as the

advocates would have it nor as terrible as the critics would say, " Dr. Greenhill

said.

Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company | Home | Privacy Policy | Search |

Corrections | Help | Back to Top

Jim - Norman

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

Strauss

[Guest guest]

This is one to print and spread around. It flys in the face of all the

psychiatrists in the USA still insisting that these drugs are safe and

effective.

April 9, 2004

Study Advises Against Drugs for Children in Depression

By GARDINER HARRIS

ediatricians and family physicians should not prescribe antidepressants for

depressed children and adolescents because the drugs barely work and their side

effects are often significant, Australian researchers have concluded.

The researchers analyzed data from five published trials of three

antidepressants, Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil, in depressed patients under age 18.

They found that the drugs offered only a " very modest " benefit over placebos.

At the same time, the drugs carry significant risks, the researchers said in

their report, published in today's issue of the British medical journal BMJ.

" If the drugs were highly advantageous over placebo, then you'd live with the

risks, " Jon Jureidini, a child psychiatrist in Adelaide and the study's lead

author, said in an interview. " If the drugs were completely safe, then you might

argue that there's nothing wrong with giving something that's only slightly

better than a placebo. "

However, Dr. Jureidini said, neither is true, so antidepressants should not be

prescribed for children and adolescents except in extreme circumstances.

" We strongly want to say that non-child-psychiatrists should not be initiating

the prescribing of " the antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake

inhibitors or S.S.R.I.'s, a class that includes Eli Lilly's Prozac, Pfizer's

Zoloft, and GlaxoKline's Paxil, Dr. Jureidini said.

The study is the latest salvo in an increasingly bitter war over whether

prescribing antidepressants to children and adolescents is appropriate.

Dr. ph Glenmullen, author of " Prozac Backlash " and a fierce critic of the

pills, said the latest study further vindicated his view that antidepressants

can be dangerous. " What this shows is that, on balance, there is no good reason

to prescribe these pills, " Dr. Glenmullen said.

However, Dr. Graham Emslie, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas

Southwestern Medical Center, who was an author of some of the studies reviewed

in the article, said the study was " illogical. "

" I wish the effect size of these drugs was bigger, but at least there's some

effect, " Dr. Emslie said. " Some of these kids are severely depressed and we've

got to do something. "

Dr. Emslie, like many psychiatric researchers, is a consultant to pharmaceutical

companies.

The Australian researchers suggested that psychiatrists offer children talk

therapy in place of the drugs. But Dr. Emslie said that only one study had shown

that talk therapy was beneficial.

" If people could offer better treatments than drugs, it'd be great, " Dr. Emslie

said.

British drug regulators have cautioned doctors against using any antidepressant

but Prozac to treat depressed children and adolescents because the drugs have

not proved effective against depression and may increase the risk of suicidal

thoughts and behavior.

The Food and Drug Administration recently issued a warning that all patients

taking antidepressants should be closely monitored by doctors, especially in the

first weeks. But the agency emphasized that it had not concluded that the drugs

caused suicidal thinking or behavior.

Dr. ce Greenhill, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia

University, said neither side in the debate had a monopoly on truth.

" I think that these medications are neither as much of a silver bullet as the

advocates would have it nor as terrible as the critics would say, " Dr. Greenhill

said.

Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company | Home | Privacy Policy | Search |

Corrections | Help | Back to Top

Jim - Norman

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

Strauss

[Guest guest]

This is one to print and spread around. It flys in the face of all the

psychiatrists in the USA still insisting that these drugs are safe and

effective.

April 9, 2004

Study Advises Against Drugs for Children in Depression

By GARDINER HARRIS

ediatricians and family physicians should not prescribe antidepressants for

depressed children and adolescents because the drugs barely work and their side

effects are often significant, Australian researchers have concluded.

The researchers analyzed data from five published trials of three

antidepressants, Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil, in depressed patients under age 18.

They found that the drugs offered only a " very modest " benefit over placebos.

At the same time, the drugs carry significant risks, the researchers said in

their report, published in today's issue of the British medical journal BMJ.

" If the drugs were highly advantageous over placebo, then you'd live with the

risks, " Jon Jureidini, a child psychiatrist in Adelaide and the study's lead

author, said in an interview. " If the drugs were completely safe, then you might

argue that there's nothing wrong with giving something that's only slightly

better than a placebo. "

However, Dr. Jureidini said, neither is true, so antidepressants should not be

prescribed for children and adolescents except in extreme circumstances.

" We strongly want to say that non-child-psychiatrists should not be initiating

the prescribing of " the antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake

inhibitors or S.S.R.I.'s, a class that includes Eli Lilly's Prozac, Pfizer's

Zoloft, and GlaxoKline's Paxil, Dr. Jureidini said.

The study is the latest salvo in an increasingly bitter war over whether

prescribing antidepressants to children and adolescents is appropriate.

Dr. ph Glenmullen, author of " Prozac Backlash " and a fierce critic of the

pills, said the latest study further vindicated his view that antidepressants

can be dangerous. " What this shows is that, on balance, there is no good reason

to prescribe these pills, " Dr. Glenmullen said.

However, Dr. Graham Emslie, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas

Southwestern Medical Center, who was an author of some of the studies reviewed

in the article, said the study was " illogical. "

" I wish the effect size of these drugs was bigger, but at least there's some

effect, " Dr. Emslie said. " Some of these kids are severely depressed and we've

got to do something. "

Dr. Emslie, like many psychiatric researchers, is a consultant to pharmaceutical

companies.

The Australian researchers suggested that psychiatrists offer children talk

therapy in place of the drugs. But Dr. Emslie said that only one study had shown

that talk therapy was beneficial.

" If people could offer better treatments than drugs, it'd be great, " Dr. Emslie

said.

British drug regulators have cautioned doctors against using any antidepressant

but Prozac to treat depressed children and adolescents because the drugs have

not proved effective against depression and may increase the risk of suicidal

thoughts and behavior.

The Food and Drug Administration recently issued a warning that all patients

taking antidepressants should be closely monitored by doctors, especially in the

first weeks. But the agency emphasized that it had not concluded that the drugs

caused suicidal thinking or behavior.

Dr. ce Greenhill, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia

University, said neither side in the debate had a monopoly on truth.

" I think that these medications are neither as much of a silver bullet as the

advocates would have it nor as terrible as the critics would say, " Dr. Greenhill

said.

Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company | Home | Privacy Policy | Search |

Corrections | Help | Back to Top

Jim - Norman

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

Strauss