Prozac For 8-Year-Olds In Europe
I'm just going to pass this along without comment.
"Children as young as eight may soon be able to use the antidepressant drug, Prozac, following a recommendation by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA).
"Prozac (fluoxetine) is an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). SSRIs are the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressant.
"The drug is authorised for the treatment of major depressive episodes, obsessive compulsive disorder and bulimia nervosa. Currently in Ireland, its use is not recommended in children and adolescents under the age of 18.
"However the European Medicines Agency has now said that Prozac should be considered in the treatment of children aged eight or older who suffer from moderate to severe depression and who do not respond to psychological therapy."
Posted by Philip Dawdy at May 28, 2008 12:03 AM
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"who do not respond to psychological therapy"
Yeah right. We all know doctors prescribe ADS before any therapy sessions are had. While I'm sure there are rare cases where prescriptions at this age are actually beneficial, this smacks of "catching them young". How long before ADs are prescribed as preventative measures before any symptoms of depression actually show?
~Shiv
