67. Concerns over Antidepressants for Children and Adolescents

Utilization of antidepressant medications among children and teens continue to rise despite poor efficacy. The assumption in many communities is that these drugs are safe and a front line treatment, but the hazards are rarely discussed and severely underestimated. In our opinion, the risks far outweigh any established benefits for antidepressant use in children, adolescents and young adults. Patients and families should be aware of the substantial risks associated with use.

If you are in a crisis or think you have an emergency, call your doctor or 911. If you're

considering suicide, call 1-800-273-TALK to speak with a skilled trained counselor.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

6:45 - Cipriani A, Zhou X, Del Giovane C, Hetrick SE, Qin B, Whittington C, et al. Comparative efficacy and tolerability of antidepressants for major depressive disorder in children and adolescents: a network meta-analysis. Lancet. (2016) 388:881–90. doi: 10.1016/ S0140-6736(16)30385-3

9:30 - Documents Said to Show Prozac Risks - The New York Times

12:30 - Safer, D.J. & Zito, J.M. Short- and Long-Term Antidepressant Clinical Trials for Major Depressive Disorder in Youth. Findings and Concerns (2019). Frontiers in Psychiatry (2019) 10:705 doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00705