Prozac too risky for children too, says European drug regulators
-December 10, 2004
Amidst controversy with the safety of antidepressant drugs, Prozac has been distanced from the rest of the popular drugs for being the only drug approved to treat children and adolescents. In the U.S., Congress and the FDA have held hearings questions antidepressant drug manufacturers about suppressing studies casting their products into an undesirable light. Now, European drug regulators are concerned that Prozac, like the other antidepressants, may not be safe for use among children and teens.
The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) reviewed all the available data for Prozac, saying an increased risk of suicidal behavior and thoughts with all antidepressants in the SSRI drug class was present. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) group has told doctors to cut prescriptions, saying doctors should offer other treatment methods besides Prozac for mild cases of depression, including counseling and exercise.
Andrew Dillon, head of NICE, said, “The guidelines recognize that while medication has an important role to play in treating these conditions, there are also many effective alternatives.” The use of antidepressants like Prozac has greatly increased in recent years, and doctors were ordered to stop over-prescribing the powerful drug.
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