Pills, Teens and Suicide

By David Bjerklie

Paxil, one of the world's most widely prescribed antidepressants, should not be given to any patient under age 18 suffering major depression, according to a British government report. The decision was based on research by the drug's manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, which found that youngsters taking Paxil (sold in Britain and elsewhere as Seroxat) experienced a higher incidence of suicidal thoughts than did patients taking a placebo. The FDA is reviewing the data under political pressure to issue its own recommendations. Untreated depression too often leads to suicide, the third most common cause of death among adolescents, but doctors and parents need assurance that a treatment isn't going to pose the same risk. --By David Bjerklie