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FDA agrees on child antidepressant risks

The Food and Drug Administration says it “generally supports” an advisory panel’s conclusion earlier this week that antidepressants sometimes raise the risk of suicidal behavior in youth.
/ Source: Reuters

The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it “generally supports” an advisory panel’s conclusion earlier this week that antidepressants sometimes raise the risk of suicidal behavior in youth.

The agency said in a statement it was working on new warning labels for all antidepressants to explain the risk.

The advisory panel voted 15-8 to urge the FDA to require a ”black box” warning, the strongest type used for prescription drugs.

An FDA analysis concluded two or three out of every 100 young people treated with antidepressants might be at higher risk of suicidal behavior.

Antidepressants include Eli Lilly and Co.’s  Prozac, Pfizer Inc.’s  Zoloft and GlaxoSmithKline Plc’s Paxil. Prozac also is sold generically under the name fluoxetine.