[Do antidepressants really increase suicide rates in childhood and adolescence?].
The use of antidepressant in depressive illness results in a reduction of suicidal attempts and deaths due to suicide, conditions that are generally present in this disorder. Recently, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) prohibited the use of antidepressants during childhood and adolescence. This decision was based on a supposed increase in suicidal thinking in these age groups. However, the evidence came from flawed clinical studies, some of them not even published, in which no significant differences were observed when compared to placebo. It is not possible to ascribe a direct responsibility to antidepressants, because depression, by definition, has suicidal ideation. On the contrary, the reduction of suicidal rates supports the effectiveness of these medications.
Clínica Psiquiátrica Universitaria, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Concepción, Chile. hsilva@med.uchile.cl
Hernán
H
Silva
Juan Carlos
JC
Martínez
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D010919:Placebos; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D010919:Placebos