Fluoxetine cleared of risk?
February 9, 2012
FLUOXETINE and venlafaxine
based antidepressants do not raise
the risk of teen suicide, according
to a new study.
Published in the Archives of
General Psychiatry this week, the
study follows recent controversy
over fluoxetine-based
antidepressants, such as Prozac,
which fell out of favour with US
regulators after a review of data
from 25 trials suggested it
heightened the risk of suicidal
thoughts and behaviour of people
aged 25 and under.
Following the results of its review
the US Food and Drug Authority
issued a public warning over the
risk of teen suicide with fluoxetinebased
antidepressants.
The findings of the latest study
however upend this concern, with
researchers saying that in their
analysis of 41 published and
unpublished clinical trials involving
over 9,000 patients, fluoxetine and
venlafaxine decreased suicidal
thoughts and behavior for adult
and geriatric patients, and for
youths, no significant effects of
treatment on suicidal thoughts and
behavior were found, although
depression responded to treatment.
“Suicidal thoughts and behavior
decreased over time for adult and
geriatric patients randomized to
fluoxetine or venlafaxine
compared with placebo, but no
differences were found for
youths,” the researchers said.
“In adults, reduction in suicide
ideation and attempts occurred
through a reduction in depressive
symptoms.
“In all age groups, severity of
depression improved with medication
and was significantly related to
suicide ideation or behavior.
“No evidence of increased
suicide risk was observed in youths
receiving active medication,” the
researchers added.
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