In todays Wall Street Journal, there’s an article entitled “Antidepressants Get a Boost For Use in Teens”. It discusses a new report, published in JAMA, that says that antidepressants were more effective than placebos in treating children and teens for major depression, OCD and anxiety.
In addition, a noted psychiatrist says that “antidepressants should only be used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan that is individualized to the needs of the child and the family.”

Well, how special. Now that we have big FDA mandated “black box” warnings, some physicians now realize that these drugs can not be prescribed like candy and that their patients (adults and children) need to be meticulously monitored for adverse side effects and suicidal ideation.

I have represented, and continue to represent families in cases in which patients did not receive this careful monitoring, and suicide was the result. It’s a pleasure to see that the standard of care is now catching up with what the pharmaceutical industry and the medical profession has known about these drugs for many years.

Bruce A. Bierhans