Not only is it ineffective to recommend antidepressant use for children and teenagers, but according to a new study, it can also be dangerous.

A team of researchers at the University of Oxford, England, analyzed the effects of 14 antidepressants and discovered that only fluoxetine (the active ingredient in Prozac) proved to be more effective in treating depression than the placebo given to children and teens in several studies.

On the other hand, Venlafaxine (Effexor) was associated with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and overall suicidal attempts compared to the inactive placebo and five other antidepressants that were evaluated.

Dr. Andrea Cipriani, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University and the lead study author, said, “In the clinical care of young people with a major depressive disorder, clinical guidelines recommend psychotherapy – especially cognitive behavioral therapy or interpersonal therapy – as the first-line treatment.”

Cipriani’s team reviewed 34 studies that had enrolled more than 5,200 children and adolescents. Prozac was the only one to show greater benefits to the participants when compared to risks regarding the relief of symptoms and side effects.

The antidepressants duloxetine (Cymbalta), Effexor, and imipramine (Tofranil) had the worst side effects, leading to more patients stopping the treatment compared to those on placebos.

Cipriani warned that “Prozac should be considered only for patients who do not have access to psychotherapy or have not responded to non-pharmacological interventions.”

At the same time, if children or adolescents do take antidepressant drugs, they should be closely monitored, especially at the beginning of treatment.

The main problem with treating children and teens with antidepressants is that we still don’t know many of the potential risks due to the fact that there are a limited number of studies on the matter.

It is also noteworthy that at least 65 percent of the trials reviewed in Cipriani’s study were financially supported by drug companies, which means they have a 90 percent risk of being biased in favor of medication.

However, even though depression treatment usually begins with psychotherapy, some cases are so desperate that Prozac might actually be a better option. In those cases, “something that’s highly imperfect may seem like the right move,” said Dr. Jon Jureidini, author of an editorial accompanying the study.
Image Source: The Star