FDA approves Prozac for children

Associated Press ^ | 1-3-02

[Oldeconomybuyer]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Prozac is now formally available for depressed children.

Psychiatrists have prescribed the world's best-known antidepressant, and similar competitors, to their youngest patients for years, despite a shortage of studies proving they work in children.

But the Food and Drug Administration declared Friday that there's finally proof that Prozac alleviates depression in children 8 years and older, the first drug among the newer antidepressants, which boost the mood regulator serotonin, to win such approval.

[pabianice]

Why not? It's already approved for veterinary use.

[hsmomx3]

I have heard that kids who have been on Prozac, Ritalin, etc. are unable to join the military. Is this true? If so, many will be unable to serve our country.

[joesnuffy]

Little boys cant sit still for 8 hrs a day without figiting...and when others are allowed to the more active get restless...

This should never make a child worthy of a freeking psychiatric diagnosis and all the attendent long term social and legal problems...the lableing and the faulty reputation...that can never be relieved..

But social planners love this shiite....the femanization of elementary schools puts the burden on the boys...femanazi teachers and principals, with an agenda, are femanizing our educational system and boys, at least real boys, arent welcome..

Adapt or get the chemical lobotamy...

And lose your rights as a citizen...and be limited in other ways..

Under new provisions...having been forced into psychiatric diagnosis and drug (therapy)
could mean abducation of your right to self protection and firearm ownership..

And severly limited your vocational choices..

An evil thing to do to children...whose only real illness is having to deal with absurd authority figures..

Welcome to the third way not the marriage of Communism and Captialism as youve been promised but the marriage of National Socialism and International Socialism the Fourth Reich

[JoeSixPack1]

OK, Where is the study on Prozac as related to political affiliation & national events?????

Did we run low this past election in heavy rat voter districts? :-)

[IronJack]

the newer antidepressants, which boost the mood regulator serotonin

Technically, Prozac, as well as Paxil and Zoloft, are a class of drugs known as Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. They are commonly used antidepressants which achieve their effect by preventing absorption of the mood-elevating chemical serotonin. That means more serotonin remains in the body, theoretically allowing the patient to think more clearly -- serotonin is a neural transmitter -- and to feel less frustrated. But it also means that a pharmaceutical company is now regulating how well the patient's brain conducts neural impulses, in effect, how well and what he thinks. That's scary enough for adults, let alone for children.

In addition, no long-term studies have been done to determine the effects of chemically regulating thought processes, specifically the consequences when the regimen is withdrawn.

This is just another "magic bullet" answer to a far more complex issue. From the people who brought you "Just Say No."

[Pintobean]

"I have heard that kids who have been on Prozac, Ritalin, etc. are unable to join the military. Is this true? If so, many will be unable to serve our country."

My husband was in the Navy. He said that to enlist, a person needs to quit taking all drugs before they try to enlist due to the urinanalysis test. If the person shows up with a doctor's note explaining why the person needs to be taking that particular controlled substance, they MAY let them enlist.

Now, it strikes me as odd that the Air Force is allowing their fighter pilots take dexedrine to stay awake to complete their flights. One particular pilot blamed dexadrine for the friendly fire incident..

[Petronski]

This is foolhardy.