Psychiatric Drugs For Kids Scrutinized

(AP)  Three blockbuster psychiatric drugs currently approved for adults also appear to work in adolescents, though federal health officials have concerns about exposing younger patients to the drugs' side effects.

The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing drugs from AstraZeneca PLC, Eli Lilly & Co. and Pfizer Inc. for use in patients between the ages of 10 and 17. The drugs - already approved to treat schizophrenia and bipolar mania in adults - had combined sales of more than $7.4 billion last year, according to IMS Health.

FDA reviewers on Friday said they were wary of exposing youngsters to the drugs' side effects, including weight gain and high blood sugar, "because they may be exposed for many decades."

"These risks are of particular concern in pediatric patients because of the lifelong nature of these disorders," FDA director for psychiatric products, Dr. Thomas Laughren, wrote in documents posted online.

The FDA released its review of the drugs ahead of a meeting Tuesday where outside experts will weigh in on the drugs' risks and benefits. The agency is not required to follow the group's advice, though it usually does.

Many doctors already prescribe the medications to children and adolescents, although regulators have not officially cleared that use. Physicians are free to prescribe medicines as they see fit, though companies can only promote them for FDA-approved indications.

AstraZeneca and Lilly are seeking permission to market their drugs - Seroquel and Zyprexa, respectively - to adolescents with schizophrenia and bipolar mania, also called manic depressive disorder. Pfizer is seeking a pediatric bipolar disorder indication for its drug Geodon.

Despite the safety concerns, Laughren and other FDA officials acknowledged the need for additional drugs to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in teenagers and older children. Currently only two drugs are cleared for those uses: Johnson & Johnson's Risperdal and Bristol-Myers Squibb's Abilify.

"Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are serious illnesses in pediatric patients and represent substantial burden for both patients and their families," Laughren said.

[aChangeOfIdeas]

psychotropics have to be the most overprescribed and overrated drugs in existance. How did the human race survive for 2 million years without them? According to the company ads, we'd have all have been killed off by murder or suicide years ago, and obviously we weren't.
Posted by scyouth at 9:52 AM : Jun 8, 2009

I will certainly agree with you that drugs (in general) are overprescribed! Not just for mental illness, but antibiotics, painkillers, etc. It seems for every malady there's a pill.

However, mental illness for many centuries was attributed to demons. Many were "treated" by religious leaders, and those not 'cured' were sometimes burned, stoned, or otherwise 'taken care of' by folks trying to protect their community. I don't know about what other cultures may have done. Even after mental illnesses were recognized as just that - illnesses - lack of suitable treatment meant many were locked up in asylums. I have seen people who could seriously NOT live a normal life without medication SAVED by some daily well-monitored medication.

To those who think mental illness can be something you can 'work through' without medication, let me ask you if that's what you would tell someone with diabetes, lupus, or cancer? Sheer willpower won't work. I agree that behavior modification is an excellent idea, in conjunction with other treatments. Heck, I think there are a lot of kids who would benefit from some behavior modification... diagnosis or not :P

[scyouth]

No need to wait until adulthood in the eyes of Big Pharma to start poisoning children for profit with synthetic drugs. If Congress were not in the pocket of Big Pharma we could have real safety in medicine. Posted by Baileyccc
Posted by at 4:53 PM

So I assume YOU don't take any drugs EVER. In a previous post you recommend the internet for research about drugs. The internet is the last place to look (with the exception of nationally known organizations such as the National MS Society). The internet is SO cluttered with out and out lies about treatments whether they be drugs, herbs, balms or whatever, that sorting out the good from the REALLY bad is almost impossible.

Having said that, psychotropics have to be the most overprescribed and overrated drugs in existance. How did the human race survive for 2 million years without them? According to the company ads, we'd have all have been killed off by murder or suicide years ago, and obviously we weren't.

[Ichabod09]

To use these unforgiving drugs on young children is a sin, shame and hopefully a crime.
Posted by flolake at 2:57 AM : Jun 7, 2009


Now that it is politically incorrect to tell a child "No", we simply classify misbehavior as a psychiatric disorder-problem solved.

Reminds me-does anybody remember the movie "Bedtime for Bonzo"?

[baileyccc]

No need to wait until adulthood in the eyes of Big Pharma to start poisoning children for profit with synthetic drugs. If Congress were not in the pocket of Big Pharma we could have real safety in medicine. Posted by Baileyccc

[flolake]

To use these unforgiving drugs on young children is a sin, shame and hopefully a crime.

[funslideds]

Why do we give kids these drugs?

Most people would agree that it's because a kids' behavior seems disruptive, or maladaptive ('totally out-of-control'). Maybe the kid is biting himself, or hitting people, etc. I've seen a lot of this.

But, often, I have seen caregiver individuals, and groups, quickly assume, without consideration to the contrary, the fate of the child is to be given meds as the primary, immediate, and long-term solution. It certainly is easier for caregivers, teachers, etc. to use meds - they curtail the behaviors quickly and effectively.

I have seen family members, direct-care workers, and school teachers, who may have unknowingly increased /re-inforced "problem behaviors" by the way they did (or didn't) interviene. These same individuals had virtually no training in Behavioral Modification, and even if they did, it was usually executed in an inconsistent, incorrect manner.

What do the meds do to a developing human brain, and body, besides what we want them to do? The simple answer is, we just don't know. In spite of the observation that meds can help lessen maladaptive behavior in the short-term, the long-term effects aren't known.

What's the answer? SURE, there are cases where the child has a sudden psychotic-break for whatever reason. OBVIOUSLY, then I would agree, meds, and fast! To me, it seems that quality non-medicine interventions should be trialed extensively, and robustly as a FIRST line of intervention, NOT the other way around. This includes talk therapy, Behavioral Modification training involving all relevant parties, and also other non-medicine modalities. The sooner the Behavior Mod begins (as well as teaching all relevant parties), I would assume the better. Lastly, if meds still need to be given, non-medicine intervention should continue to be vigorously applied.

[lomtevas]

Children in foster care are given these drugs to lessen the stress of their separation from their families. These drugs are a necessary part of state operations in child protection.

[funslideds]

Posted by funslideds at 2:25 PM : Jun 6, 2009

oops, I forgot, it's called an "eval (uation)".

[funslideds]

Ususally, the kid goes with his parents to the psychiatrist, the kid, and his 'rents, talk for less than two hours (a consultation), and then the doc is like, "let's try this (drug)!"

I'm related (closely) to a 'trist, and have a relevant degree myself, and worked in the field.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the thing to TRY first!! Of course, CBT is relatively new, and most psychologists call themselves, "eclectic", and they aren't good at CBT at all.

It may be HARD to find a real CBT near you. Look on http://www.nacbt.org/ to find one.

[Ichabod09]

As long as the psychiatrist and not the psychologist is the one doing the diagnosis. Psychologists tend to be co-dependent with their patients-the arrangement can be described as a mutual ego-jurkoff.