By SuEllen Hamkins, MD, College Psychiatrist
April 2004
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently issued a public health advisory about the use of anti-depressant medications. You may have heard about this advisory through a variety of news media. In summary, the FDA recommends a stronger warning about the possibility of worsening depression or the emergence of suicidal thoughts or urges when using anti-depressant medication, especially in the early weeks of treatment.
The FDA instructs people using anti-depressant medications to call their doctor promptly if they notice a significant worsening of depression or the emergence of suicidal thoughts.
It is important to understand that the FDA has NOT concluded that anti-depressants cause worsening depression or suicidality. Rather, in their preliminary review, they noted that rarely a worsening of depression or the emergence of suicidality occurs in the weeks after an anti-depressant has been started. This increase in symptoms may be due to a severe depression that has not yet responded to medications, or it might be due to side-effects of the medications. The FDA is embarking on a comprehensive review of all major research on all the anti-depressant medications to get a more definitive answer as to why worsening depression or suicidality can occur in the early weeks of anti-depressant use.
Please feel free to call the Counseling Service (x2840) to schedule an appointment to talk about any questions you have about this. Anti-depressant medications are an important resource in the treatment of depression. Like all medications, they carry risks of adverse effects that need to be weighed against potential benefits.
Further information is available at the FDA web site:
