âStudy Finds Risks for Teens of Mothers Who Took Certain Antidepressantsâ
âAdolescents whose mothers took certain antidepressants while pregnant with them are more than four times as likely to become depressed by age 15, compared with...
âTasty and Easy to Take, A New ADHD Drug Alarms Some Psychiatrists”
For STAT, Meghana Kashavan reports on a new, candy-flavored, chewable, fruity, amphetamine drug on the market for children diagnosed with ADHD. âItâs a move...
Teen Brain Develops Differently in Bipolar Disorder, When Medicated
The brains of adolescents diagnosed with bipolar disorder develop differently than the brains of teens without the disorder, according to a study in Biological...
FDA: New Depression Drug âNot Approvableâ
Gepirone, a new depression drug by Fabre-Kramer Pharmaceuticals, did not meet the FDAs efficacy standards. The new drug application for gepirone has now received...
âAlternative Therapies Should Be Considered Before Antipsychotics for Childrenâ
The official voice of the American Psychiatric Association covers the short and long term side-effects of antipsychotics and promotes the use of therapeutic alternatives...
FDA: Abilify Promotions Are Misleading Physicians and the Public
The US FDA has requested that Otsuka "immediately cease" distributing some of its educational materials for its top-selling antipsychotic Abilify.
Prescription Stimulant Use is Associated with Earlier Onset of Psychosis
Individuals diagnosed with psychotic disorders have an earlier onset of psychosis if they have previously been exposed to prescription stimulants, according to new research currently in press in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.
Ireland to Decriminalise Heroin, Cocaine and Cannabis
The UK Independent reports that Ireland is moving toward a policy of decriminalizing small amount of drugs like heroin, cocaine, and cannabis in what amounts to a âradical cultural shift.â While it would remain a crime to profit from the sale of these substances, users will have specially designated areas for safe use. The chief of Irelandâs National Drugs Strategy told the paper: âI am firmly of the view that there needs to be a cultural shift in how we regard substance misuse if we are to break this cycle and make a serious attempt to tackle drug and alcohol addiction.â
âThink Twice Before Using Ritalin on Children as Terrible Side-Effects are Commonâ
Miriam Stoppard writes an opinion piece on the lack of good research on Ritalin, a drug often used for ADHD, and discusses the latest Cochrane review which found a high percentage of side-effects in children. Despite the lack of quality evidence, âNHS figures show that nearly one million ADHD prescriptions were handed out last year in England â a number that has more than doubled in 10 years.â
âThe Hidden Harms of Antidepressantsâ
In a new article for Scientific American, Diana Kwon reports on how the true risks for suicide and aggression in children and teens taking...
Dateline NBC to Cover Child Psychiatric Overmedication Epidemic This Sunday
This Sunday, June 12 at 7pm (EDT) on NBCs Dateline will cover MIA author Steve Francesco's book, Overmedicated and Undertreated: How I Lost My...
âMore Patients in Scotland Given Antidepressantsâ
The BBC reports that the number of people in Scotland taking antidepressants has increased by 5% in the past year with most of the patients being women and those in the poorest parts of the country. âWe are now looking at the flabbergasting statistic of more than one in seven people in Scotland being prescribed antidepressants this year,â Conservative health spokesman Jackson Carlaw said. âWe urgently have to look at better alternatives than simply parking people on medication in the hope things don't get any worse, with no aspiration for complete recovery."
âWhy We Shouldnât Trade a Weakened FDA for More Medical Research Fundsâ
Ed Silverman at STAT reports that Congress has linked increased research funding to âfast-trackâ approval procedures. âBy linking the extra funds to speedier approvals,...
âPsychiatric Drugs Are Being Prescribed to Infantsâ
The New York Times reports that a growing number of infants and toddlers are being prescribed dangerous psychiatric drugs. âAlmost 20,000 prescriptions for risperidone (commonly known as Risperdal), quetiapine (Seroquel) and other antipsychotic medications were written in 2014 for children 2 and younger, a 50 percent jump from 13,000 just one year before.â
âPoliticians and Experts Meet at Parliament to Explore Record Antidepressant Prescribing and Disabilityâ
The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed Drug Dependence is meeting today, May 11th, to discuss evidence of the link between the rise in disability...
âStem Cells to Treat Depression?â
A phase 1 study for a stem cell derived agent that promotes the growth of new nerve cells in the brain demonstrated efficacy in a very small sample of patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). The phase 1B study was published online December 8 in Molecular Psychiatry.
âSelling Side Effects: Big Pharmaâs Marketing Machine?â
Drug Watch releases an in-depth investigation into the marketing practices of pharmaceutical companies in the United States. âCompanies spend billions advertising to doctors to...
âB.C. Care Homes Provide Antidepressants Without Diagnosesâ
New data reveals that the majority of care homes in British Columbia, Canada are giving out prescriptions for antidepressants and antipsychotics without a diagnosis....
First Federal Zoloft Birth Defect Trial Scheduled
In a bellwether case, plaintiffs allege that Pfizer did not adequately warn patients that Zoloft (sertraline) would cause birth defects. The case is scheduled in Federal Court in March, and the verdict will have significant implications for future suits.
âUS Opioid Epidemic Fueled by Prescribing Practicesâ
Medscape Psychiatry reports that the âman-made epidemicâ of opioid abuse in the United States is the result of over-prescription and poor research.