The FDA is warning Americans that patients under age 18 should not take Paxil because of a possible increased risk of suicidal impulses associated with the drug. I believe the FDA is largely sounding these alarms (finally) because nine recent British studies showed Paxil causes depressed children to become more suicidal and that Paxil is not particularly effective in treating depression in youth.
According to the group NDCHealth, which tracks prescription drug use, over 30 million prescriptions for Paxil and Paxil CR were written in the United States last year. Globally, the manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline, which oddly enough is based and now under the gun in Britian, made over 3 billion from Paxil sales in 2002.
What I find shameful is that only officially approved for adults, doctors in our country have "discretion and authority" to prescribe Paxil to young people on a so-called "off-label" basis. I think this is doublespeak and legal child abuse. Children are not nearly as depressed as the mental health profession and popular culture thinks they are. As the old cliche goes, first you market the disease (depression) then you sell the drugs (Paxil) - and actually believe the mental health of children is improved.
The FDA needs to outright ban Paxil for children. Period. What's the issue? Child psychiatrists and primary care providers shouldn't be prescribing powerful SSRI antidepressants in the first place to children. They should be prescribing them exercise, a good diet, and relevant counseling if need be. It should not be a surprise that at no time in our history have more children been out of shape when the reality is that at no time in our history have more children been prescribed psychotropic drugs and antidepressants.
When I think back to weaning my step-daughter off Paxil last year, I am glad she was not taken off Paxil cold turkey. Horrible things can happen with the cold turkey approach, then guess what happens? The child psychiatrist or primary care provider will just say: "See, this is why your child needs to be medicated." Understand it takes patience, love, hard work, everything you got, to take your children (your most precious commodity) off antidepressants and psychotropic drugs.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle was beating down my step-daughter's "psychological dependence" on Paxil and being drugged. She had been convinced she needed a drug to get through the bad days. This is insane. There is no right to be free from bad days and alleged mood disorders. Growing up means enduring the slings and arrows of life relatively drug free. No pain no gain in this country has been replaced with legally drugging children because they falsely believe they shouldn't have to experience any anxiety, depressive thoughts, or come to think of it, poor choices.
As parents and good Americans, we need to support a complete and total ban on Paxil for children. U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York deserves praise for asking the FDA to place a hold on GlaxoSmithKline's request to "officially" sell Paxil for children's use pending the outcome of the FDA's study of whether Paxil increases suicides among children.
Some people say I saved my step-daughter's life for getting her off Paxil. Some say it's a miracle she is doing okay now. I say there might be some truth to all this, but there is still so much to do in what should be this country's War Against Drugging Children.
Let's start really taking care of our children by not buying the lies about how "depressed" our children are and why "legally drugging" them is the right thing to do.
Children need parents, not pills.
Tony Zizza is a freelance writer based in the Atlanta area. Email him at: [email protected]
He serves as Vice President/Georgia for Parents For Label and Drug Free Education. Web site: http://ablechild.org
http://accesswdun.com/article/2003/6/176864