Child Depression and Antidepressants Use.
The makers of popular depression medications have secrets about
the effects their antidepressants have on children. There are a
number of clinical trials showing negative effects on children yet
the drug manufacturers refuse to disclose the details of these
clinical trials, claiming that these trials are “trade secrets.”
The Washington Post, in January, carried a front-page
article of this issue.
Researchers found that the unpublished studies hide the fact that
most antidepressants have little to no affect on children.
Researchers familiar with these “trade secrets” say the majority
of the secret trials show that children who took the
antidepressants fared no better than those in the placebo groups
who took sugar pills.
GlaxoSmithKine conducted three trials on children taking the
antidepressant Paxil. All three had negative results, but only one
was published. Pfizer sponsored two trials in children taking the
antidepressant Zoloft. One of the trials had a negative result,
but the company combined that information with a positive study
and published the combined result, which was positive.
The unpublished data denies parents crucial information needed to
make an informed decision about their child’s health care. The
trials, at best, show that these antidepressants do not work on
children. At worst, these antidepressants may cause children to
become suicidal.
In December 2003, British drug regulators told doctors to stop
writing depression medication prescriptions for children under the
age of 18. This move came after British regulators reviewed 11
studies of depression medication use among children and concluded
that the risks of using depression medication in the young child
and adolescent outweighed benefits. The risks of antidepressants,
most belonging to the class called selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors or S.S.R.I.'s, include potentially harmful side effects
including suicidal behavior and increased hostility.
Stateside, the FDA is currently evaluating 20 studies of
antidepressants and children. However, if the FDA can only review
studies with positive results instead of all trials, their
information is bias as well.
Some doctors, scientists and consumer advocates believe the only
way to ensure that science is conducted in the public interest is
for trials to be funded with public dollars instead of
pharmaceutical industry dollars. To that end, the National
Institutes of Health is therefore ramping up funding for clinical
trials.
The National Institutes of Health is the same body that conducted
the exposing trials on hormone replacement therapy last year. We
at the Attention Deficit Disorder Health Center look forward to an
unbiased trial of antidepressants on children. Parents need the
facts about these and other drugs given to their children.
Until the time when such trials are conducted, parents should be
wary of using antidepressants on children under 18. For a health
alternative to antidepressants, consider using
Deprex.
Deprex contains
natural
ingredients specifically designed to provide relieve from
moderate to severe clinical depression and disorders, including
aberrant mood changes, mood imbalances, melancholy or extended
periods of sadness and grief. Deprex is also formulated to work
alongside the Attend supplement for Attention Deficit Disorder.
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