PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATION AN INCREASED RISK OF SUICIDE

http://www.ahrp.org/infomail/0902/06.php

At a meeting of the New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health, Dr. Arif Khan raised serious concerns about the apparent link to suicide of the new psychotropic drugs: "'We have to ask if medication is the only way' to approach the prevention of suicide?"

Dr. Kahn analyzed the FDA data on suicide rates for more than 71,604 patients who were treated in clinical trials. He noted that despite the fact that patients who are suicidal are excluded from clinical trials--the suicide rates in these trials are exceedingly high:

* 752 per 100,000 persons for those treated with atypical antipsychotics--risperidone, olanzapine, and quetiapine;

* 718 per 100, 000 persons for those treated with alll the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors;

* 425 suicides for those treated for "social anxiety disorder" with nefazodone, mirtazapine, and bupropion;

* 136 suicides for those treated for panic disroder--with benzodiazepine alprazolam;

* 105 suicides for those treated for obesessive-compulsive disorder with anticonvulsant valproate. [The suicide rate of persons in the population at large is 11 per 100,000 per year.]