New warning label ordered for antidepressants

[Champ]

WASHINGTON - All antidepressants must carry a “black box” warning, the government’s strongest safety alert, linking the drugs to increased suicidal thoughts and behavior among children and teens taking them, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday.

Because the warnings are primarily seen by doctors, the agency also is creating an information guide for patients to advise them of the risk.

Dr. Lester Crawford, acting FDA commissioner, said the agency sought to balance the increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior against the known benefit of treating depression in children.

“We continue to believe, however, that these drugs provide significant benefits for pediatric patients when used appropriately,” he said at a news conference.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6254504/

[tlcandie]

1. Black box as in casket/coffin?

:wow: All of this is just way odd.

[flamingyouth]

2. Did they run adequate clinical trials on children before marketing these?

I've always wondered that.

[aden_nak]

3. WARNING: may have beem prescribed by scrip-happy doctor!

Please attempt to communicate with child verbally for more than 5 minutes before administering contents.

[MisterP]

4. remember that big pharma often pays doctors to advertise in

their offices and waiting rooms; the payola can get pretty deep under desperation or insufficient morality...