BMJ  2004;328 (10 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7444.0

Should antidepressants be used in children?

When used in children, antidepressants carry a high risk of side effects and limited benefits, and their use cannot be recommended. Jureidini and colleagues (p 879) reviewed the seven randomised controlled trials analysing newer antidepressants, and found that reporting of results was often misleading, downplaying serious adverse effects and overstating benefits; the studies' methods were questionable, and placebo effects may have played a significant part in the final findings. Pharmaceutical companies funded at least three of the four major trials, which may be failing to disclose increased suicidal activity related to the use of these drugs. Biased reporting and overconfident recommendations may be misleading doctors, patients, and families, say the authors.

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Relevant Article

Efficacy and safety of antidepressants for children and adolescents

Jon N Jureidini, Christopher J Doecke, Peter R Mansfield, Michelle M Haby, David B Menkes, and Anne L Tonkin
BMJ 2004 328: 879-883. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]