Birmingham Injury Blog

The Alabama Product Injury Lawyer Blog has posted an article about a study done by the FDA confirming that people under age 25 who take an antidepressant are more likely to have suicidal tendencies and thoughts than older people on the same medication.

A warning about the increased tendencies has been present on antidepressant medications since 2005. Psychiatrists have complained that the "black box" warning scared people away from taking the type of medication and have even suggested that the FDA remove the warning...

based on the significant decline in people seeking treatment for depression. However, this recent study by the FDA, which looked at 372 clinical trials from eight different drug makers involving over 100,000 individuals, confirmed the increase risk of suicide in those under 25 taking these type of medications

This article suggests that the warnings really are necessary.

Before the black box warnings were imposed by the FDA in 2005, primary care physicians were prescribing this type of medication to children and young adults going through what can only be described as "teenage angst". There typically was no diagnosis of depression, much less any formal testing to address whether the young adult or child was indeed depressed. Several weeks later, these young, vibrant souls, with many promising years ahead, were found dead as a result of self inflicted injury.