Warning: Paxil May Be Doing More Harm than Help with Children

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently took the lead of its parallel organization in Britain, the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM), and announced that children under eighteen should not take the antidepressant drug Paxil for fear that it is actually causing rather than preventing suicidal tendencies. 

The warning from both organizations is a result of clinical trials conducted on children and adolescents in Britain using a placebo and Paxil, which is called Seroxat in the United Kingdom. The independent panel approved by CSM to conduct the study found that Paxil may result in a 1.5 to 3.2 times higher risk for suicide and self-harm. 

According to an online CNN report on June 20, doctors often prescribe Paxil for children under eighteen, even though the antidepressant, made by GlaxoSmithKline, is officially approved only for adults. In Britain, the number of children who take Paxil compared to the number of adults on Paxil is relatively small; nevertheless, with today’s increased usage of SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) to treat depression, the findings should significantly alter the course of doctors’ prescriptions for children. 

The new data released by CSM confirms the basis for suspicions that have been in the air for some time about SSRI’s effects on children. Other SSRIs often prescribed for depression are Zoloft and Prozac. Companies have previously denied that these drugs have adverse effects, but GlaxoSmithKline in particular is now being compelled to review the data recently exposed by the CSM and FDA, the CNN online report said.

If your child is under eighteen and taking Paxil or another SSRI, talk with your physician about whether or not the prescription should change. As always, you may also want to consult other physicians to obtain other opinions.