The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 278 No 7448 p449
21 April 2007

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Paediatric depression trials

A new meta-analysis of paediatric trials supports the view that use of antidepressants in children and adolescents for major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and non-OCD anxiety disorders increases the risk of suicidal behaviour.

However, the researchers argue that the risk is small and should not preclude the careful use of these agents, which they say are effective, particularly for non-OCD anxiety disorders (JAMA 2007;297:1683).