There's still time to call legislators who are on the conference committee regarding HF6, "safe" schools (i.e. "war is peace"-get it?) regarding the dangerous TEENSCREEN legislation authored by a board member of the Teenscreen group herself!
Controversy and conflict of interest abound on this one, let alone the irresponsible and dangerous consequences to
our children, let alone parent's rights. CALL NOW the numbers listed at the end of this email. It is vitally important that
the legislators are not swayed by those who stand to make money on this deal. See the latest from the FDA below.
NOTE: THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME OUT IN SUPPORT OF THIS LEGISLATION ARE THOSE WHO STAND TO MAKE MONEY FROM IT. WHERE ARE THE PARENTS AND STUDENTS WHO HAVE SUPPOSEDLY BENEFITTED FROM THIS? THEY DON'T EXIST!
Can this be any more clear??? Call your legislator NOW. See this week's articles on this issue below:
FDA News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 2, 2007
Media Inquiries: Sandy Walsh, 301-827-6242Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA
FDA Proposes New Warnings About Suicidal Thinking, Behavior in Young Adults Who Take Antidepressant Medications
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today proposed that makers of all antidepressant medications update the existing black box warning on their products' labeling to include warnings about increased risks of suicidal thinking and behavior, known as suicidality, in young adults ages 18 to 24 during initial treatment (generally the first one to two months).
The proposed labeling changes also include language stating that scientific data did not show this increased risk in adults older than 24, and that adults ages 65 and older taking antidepressants have a decreased risk of suicidality. The proposed warning statements emphasize that depression and certain other serious psychiatric disorders are themselves the most important causes of suicide.
"Today's actions represent FDA's commitment to a high level of post-marketing evaluation of drug products," said Steven Galson, M.D., MPH, director of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Depression and other psychiatric disorders can have significant consequences if not appropriately treated. Antidepressant medications benefit many patients, but it is important that doctors and patients are aware of the risks."
People currently prescribed antidepressant medications should not stop taking them. Those who have concerns should notify their health care providers.
The proposed labeling changes apply to the entire category of antidepressants. Results of individual placebo-controlled scientific studies are reasonably consistent in showing a slight increase in suicidality for patients taking antidepressants in early treatment for most of the medications. Available data are not sufficient to exclude any single medication from the increased risk of suicidality.
The proposed labeling update follows similar labeling changes made in 2005 that warned of a suicidality risk in children and adolescents who use antidepressants. At that time, FDA asked manufacturers to add a black box warning to the labeling of all antidepressants to describe this risk and to emphasize the need for appropriate monitoring and close observation, particularly for younger patients taking these medications. In addition, FDA directed manufacturers to develop Medication Guides, FDA-approved user-friendly information for patients, families and caregivers, that could help improve monitoring. Medication Guides are intended to be distributed at the pharmacy with each prescription or refill of a medication.
Also in 2005, FDA began a comprehensive review of 295 individual antidepressant trials that included over 77,000 adult patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders, to examine the risk of suicidality in adults who are prescribed antidepressants.
In December 2006, FDA's Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee agreed that labeling changes were needed to inform health care professionals about the increased risk of suicidality in younger adults using antidepressants. Additionally, the committee noted product labeling needed to reflect the apparent beneficial effect of antidepressants in older adults and to remind health care professionals that the disorders themselves are the most important cause of suicidality.
FDA has been developing language to revise product labeling and update the Patient Medication Guides for these products. Manufacturers of antidepressants will now have 30 days to submit their revised product labels and revised Medication Guides to FDA for review.
Products involved in today's action include:
Anafranil (clomipramine)Asendin (amoxapine)Aventyl (nortriptyline)Celexa (citalopram hydrobromide)Cymbalta (duloxetine)Desyrel (trazodone HCl)Elavil (amitriptyline)Effexor (venlafaxine HCl)Emsam (selegiline)Etrafon (perphenazine/amitriptyline)fluvoxamine maleateLexapro (escitalopram hydrobromide)Limbitrol (chlordiazepoxide/amitriptyline)Ludiomil (maprotiline)Marplan (isocarboxazid)Nardil (phenelzine sulfate) nefazodone HClNorpramin (desipramine HCl)Pamelor (nortriptyline)Parnate (tranylcypromine sulfate)Paxil (paroxetine HCl)Pexeva (paroxetine mesylate)Prozac (fluoxetine HCl)Remeron (mirtazapine)Sarafem (fluoxetine HCl)Seroquel (quetiapine)Sinequan (doxepin)Surmontil (trimipramine)Symbyax (olanzapine/fluoxetine)Tofranil (imipramine)Tofranil-PM (imipramine pamoate)Triavil (perphenazine/amitriptyline)Vivactil (protriptyline)Wellbutrin (bupropion HCl)Zoloft (sertraline HCl)Zyban (bupropion HCl)
For more information:
Antidepressant use in children, adolescents, and adults, including the draft labeling and draft
Medication Guides www.fda.gov/cder/drug/antidepressants/default.htm
FDA's Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee, including transcripts from the December 2006 meeting www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/cder06.html#Psychopharmacologic
21,211 Total Signatures - TeenScreen petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html
From: Parents Against TeenScreen [mailto:parents_against_teenscreen@earthlink.net] Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 6:37 AMTo: Parents Against TeenScreenSubject: Yo Minnesota - More
Go Minnesota Go!
Also check out the following links to see letters from a lot of people opposed to Teen Screen:
Several are from the St. Cloud Times, St. Cloud, Minn.:
http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070503/OPINION/105030023/1006/NEWS01
http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070503/OPINION/105030026/1006/NEWS01%C2%A0
http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070503/OPINION/105030025/1006
http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070503/OPINION/105030024/1006
Finally, this link updates the status of TeenScreen in the Minnesota House and Senate and provides some contact information:
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01624.html
Bev Miller
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1 comment:
Bev,
Thanks for keeping True up to date on the latest TeenScreen stuff and the new FDA warning.
But the FDA statement that persons over 24 are not at increased risk of "suicidality" is way off base. There is a lot of evidence that others, such as middle-aged men in high-stress lifestyles, also either commit suicide or murder or both. A cousin of mine is a case in point, a Hollywood lawyer and a great dad, a role model in our family, who shot his 18 month old twins and himself shortly after starting on antidepressants.
Another case: my father who was 80 years old was hospitalized with delirium one day after being prescribed a psychiatric drug for the purpose of increasing his mental clarity.
I do think in some cases these psychiatric drugs are helpful adjuncts in treatment. But, in the earliest stages they require far closer monitoring for ALL ages than they have been getting.
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