SSRIs need suicide warning, say scientists

national | consumer issues | news report

Friday September 23, 2005 14:53

by Basil Miller - depressiondialogues.ie

editor at depressiondialogues dot ie

2 Eden Park

(01) 2877782

Case for suicide warnings boosted

Norwegian scientists say the suicide risk involved in taking SSRI antidepressants indicates that warnings for adults are necessary. The research bolsters demands to the Irish Medicines Board to extend to adults the suicide warnings to children (under-18s) included with these drugs, and to make them more prominent.

Norwegian scientists say the suicide risk involved in taking SSRI antidepressants indicates that warnings for adults should be included in the patient information and prescribing information supplied with selctive serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The research, published in BMC Medicine in August 2005, bolsters demands to the Irish Medicines Board to extend to adults the suicide warnings to children (under-18s) included with these drugs, and to make them more prominent. From 1 July 2005, in the US all such drugs carry a ‘Black Box’ warning to adults, the most serious category of warning, that they may have an increased risk of suicide from taking the drugs. warnings in Ireland apply only to under-18s, are not displayed prominently, and are mostly worded weakly and ambiguously.
In Ireland in 2004, one in five to seven adults were prescribed antidepressant medication of the SSRI group, at a cost to the Health Service between €100 million and €150 million.
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Comments (2 of 2)

Immediate warning for ADULTS is detrimental!!!

by Nuria O'Mahony - Holistic Action Group

Tue Sep 27, 2005 17:52

nuriaomahony at eircom dot net

Dear Basil,

Well done. This issue needs to be highlighted over and over again until the detrimental required warning is issued by the Irish Medicines Board. This board is failing the public over and over again. Their main interest is the promotion and protection of the pharmaceutical industry. The interest of the public has always been in the backburner. This needs to stop. The regulatory system at the moment is not doing what it was set up to do. It is not independent and it is not protecting the public...eg. VIOXX, TYSABRI, SSRIs and the list goes on. This body needs to be overhauled in the interest of the public. This, so badly needed, warning and demanded by people like me who have lost love ones to the SSRIs induced suicides in many occassions. Those demands have been ignored in the interest of the pharmaceuticals and at the expense of our lives, health and safety. UNACCEPTABLE. I call for everybody to demand our right to know the real dangers of our prescribed medications by supporting and signing my petition on http:www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/444384374

Thanks Basil for highlighting the need for this detrimental warning for the adult population to be released in Ireland once more. I hope the IMB starts to take note...better late than never...although it is too late for my dear Niall to be spared.
Regards

Nuria O'Mahony

Antidepressant's

by Flossie

Mon Aug 07, 2006 13:07

I was prescribed 3 different Antidepressants in 1995. Prothiaden which I took for one day, Lustral for 5 months, & Anafaril which i took for 2 weeks in that order. I suffered adverse reactions to all 3 drugs. My Gp & Psychiatrist didnt want to know & behaved very badly in the matter. I count myself very lucky to have survived this experience & it was all down to myself & my strong survival instinct. The Agitation caused by Lustral was beyond what anyone would be expected to be able to endure. The Medecines board didn't want to know they told me that " the greater good of the whole was more important than that of any individual" I managed to have the ADR recorded by the IMB, by getting them to ctc the Psychiatrist who had lied to me about submitting an ADR form & shaming him into submitting same. The Medecines board didn't want to know about the side effects, they told me that " the greater good of the whole was more important than that of any individual"

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SSRIs need suicide warning, say scientists

Comments (2 of 2)