With expert opinions being silenced by a higher power, a House subcommittee will likely require the FDA to issue strong "black box" warnings on antidepressant drugs for children. This action is due to the link between the antidepressant drugs and increased suicidal behavior in some children taking the drugs.

A FDA member suggested that patients taking antidepressant prescriptions should receive information pamphlets and stronger warnings. These warnings will ensure that each patient is educated on how to balance the risk of suicide with the benefits of treating depression.

It seems that government epidemiologists have also felt the wrath of the FDA's urge to keep things under the radar. Some have been asked by their superiors to soften their recommendations of discouraging most antidepressant drugs because of increased suicidal behavior linked to drug use.

A member of the FDA's Division of Drug and Risk Evaluation claimed managers asked him to refrain from down-talking the use of all antidepressants and instead inform patients to proceed in using such drugs, but "with caution." Research has shown Prozac to be the only drug approved to treat children with the least risk for depressed children.

Other information retained:

• Paxil and seven other antidepressants caused children to suffer from increased suicidal behavior more so than children taking sugar pills.
• Out of every 100 children taking antidepressants in controlled clinical trials an additional tow to three children experienced increased suicidal tendencies.

Denying statements, the FDA stated they did not ask one of their experts to change their review on the drugs, but merely made some suggestions.

Some members of the House subcommittee charged the FDA with a pattern of deception, noting no agency charged with protecting the public's heath should act in any way as to compromise the public's safety.

Yahoo News September 23, 2004

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

News like this just strengthens my resolve to make my vision a reality. By exposing the dishonorable motives -- usually greed -- that form the basis of the current establishment's methods, I hope to help eliminate some of the most treacherous barriers on your journey to optimal health. The FDA has released a suicide precaution for antidepressants. Further, it has finally forced the drug companies to include this devastating side effect on their label. The FDA previously issued a caution on using antidepressants in children, but the warnings on drug labels go significantly further. Most of antidepressants are known to affect the brain chemical serotonin, which helps regulate mood, but although antidepressants fill an important niche, they do not in any way, shape or form treat the cause of the problem. That is why I believe it is important for children to approach alternatives to antidepressants: Decreasing TV watching Exercise Optimal levels of cod liver oil Does this mean that antidepressants don't work? Absolutely not, but in the vast majority of cases it may be that a benefit is felt because the person taking the pill believes that the pill will heal their depression. Related Articles: Treatment Options for Healing Depression Prozac Use Approved for Depressed Kids Antidepressants and Suicide in Children: Why Did the Warnings Take so Long? Antidepressant Increases Risk of Suicide in Kids Exercise Good for Depression Depressed? Consider Fish Oil