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American Morning

Paxil Problem?

Aired August 08, 2003 - 08:43   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: In our medical segment this morning, more questions about whether some antidepressant drugs increase the risk of suicide. The FDA is still evaluating whether the drug Paxil causes dangerous side effects. Well, the FDA is telling doctors not to use Paxil to treat kids with major depression. How safe is Paxil? And what if your child is on it?
Joining us now Dr. Melvin Oatis of New York University's Child Study Center.

Good morning to you, doctor. Thanks for being here.

If your child is on it, and you're listening to this, what do you do? I mean, this is very alarming.

DR. MELVIN OATIS, NYU CHILD STUDY CENTER: It is very alarming. But if your child is on it, as a parent, you should really speak with your physician, and not to do anything hasty. Have a conversation with them about what you've heard, and have them explain what the target symptoms are that you put the person on for Paxil. And if they're presently being well controlled with the medication, don't yank them off. If they're not being well controlled with the medication, then you want to closely examine that and perhaps discontinue the medication. But no one should do that without a doctor's advice.

COLLINS: OK, Let's talk about the British agency that actually first noticed this, and what they say is that in its analysis that they found several Paxil studies, this is 3.2 times the likelihood of suicidal thoughts or suicidal attempts among teenagers taking this drug, versus those who were taking a sugar pill.

OATIS: Right. It's a surprising finding. And what that says is that more studies need to be done, that they need to examine that more closely.

But what they also said that this was an increase in suicidal ideation, which is thinking about harming oneself. They did not conclude that it increased the number of suicides or attempts. So that is alarming just to sort of think about it. But part of the depressive syndrome in and of itself someone may express suicidal ideation. So why that's different with this medication warrants further investigation.

COLLINS: So the FDA did talk to doctors about this back in mid- june after this British decision. Let's take a look at what they said. It says, "Although the FDA has not completed this evaluation, we are reccomending that Paxil not be used in the treatment of pediactric MDD, or major dpressive reorder."

Have you yourself followed this recommendation?

OATIS: In terms of as a center at the NYU Child Study Center, we're not placing children under the age of 18 on the medication.

However, we still have patients that are on the medication that are doing well, and we continue to use that medication. Within that class of medications, there are other choices that you can use.

COLLINS: OK, so everybody just kind of waiting and seeing at this moment?

OATIS: Well, it's still under investigation, hBecause I don't want to say that it's an awful medication, or perhaps that there are some children that can benefit from this type of medication. It is one choice that we have among many.

So right now, if you're using it, you have to be very cautious, and not to start anyone under the age of 18 with it.

COLLINS: To be fair, talk about that for a minute, about the people who are taking it and the benefits that the drug offers.

OATIS: Oh, absolutely. And people that are experiencing, or children that are experiencing depression, their feelings of depression have lightened. They're able to function, they're able to go to school. They're not feeling as badly as they did before. Perhaps these were children who were contemplating suicide, and that's no longer the case for them. So they're actually more active, more, you know, doing the things that they need to do so that they can progress. So with them, if their symptoms have been relieved then want to make sure that they continue to be monitored.

COLLINS: Some great advice. Certainly a lot to think about this morning. Dr. Melvin Oatis, with the NYU Child Studies Center. Thanks for your time.

OATIS: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired August 8, 2003 - 08:43   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: In our medical segment this morning, more questions about whether some antidepressant drugs increase the risk of suicide. The FDA is still evaluating whether the drug Paxil causes dangerous side effects. Well, the FDA is telling doctors not to use Paxil to treat kids with major depression. How safe is Paxil? And what if your child is on it?
Joining us now Dr. Melvin Oatis of New York University's Child Study Center.

Good morning to you, doctor. Thanks for being here.

If your child is on it, and you're listening to this, what do you do? I mean, this is very alarming.

DR. MELVIN OATIS, NYU CHILD STUDY CENTER: It is very alarming. But if your child is on it, as a parent, you should really speak with your physician, and not to do anything hasty. Have a conversation with them about what you've heard, and have them explain what the target symptoms are that you put the person on for Paxil. And if they're presently being well controlled with the medication, don't yank them off. If they're not being well controlled with the medication, then you want to closely examine that and perhaps discontinue the medication. But no one should do that without a doctor's advice.

COLLINS: OK, Let's talk about the British agency that actually first noticed this, and what they say is that in its analysis that they found several Paxil studies, this is 3.2 times the likelihood of suicidal thoughts or suicidal attempts among teenagers taking this drug, versus those who were taking a sugar pill.

OATIS: Right. It's a surprising finding. And what that says is that more studies need to be done, that they need to examine that more closely.

But what they also said that this was an increase in suicidal ideation, which is thinking about harming oneself. They did not conclude that it increased the number of suicides or attempts. So that is alarming just to sort of think about it. But part of the depressive syndrome in and of itself someone may express suicidal ideation. So why that's different with this medication warrants further investigation.

COLLINS: So the FDA did talk to doctors about this back in mid- june after this British decision. Let's take a look at what they said. It says, "Although the FDA has not completed this evaluation, we are reccomending that Paxil not be used in the treatment of pediactric MDD, or major dpressive reorder."

Have you yourself followed this recommendation?

OATIS: In terms of as a center at the NYU Child Study Center, we're not placing children under the age of 18 on the medication.

However, we still have patients that are on the medication that are doing well, and we continue to use that medication. Within that class of medications, there are other choices that you can use.

COLLINS: OK, so everybody just kind of waiting and seeing at this moment?

OATIS: Well, it's still under investigation, hBecause I don't want to say that it's an awful medication, or perhaps that there are some children that can benefit from this type of medication. It is one choice that we have among many.

So right now, if you're using it, you have to be very cautious, and not to start anyone under the age of 18 with it.

COLLINS: To be fair, talk about that for a minute, about the people who are taking it and the benefits that the drug offers.

OATIS: Oh, absolutely. And people that are experiencing, or children that are experiencing depression, their feelings of depression have lightened. They're able to function, they're able to go to school. They're not feeling as badly as they did before. Perhaps these were children who were contemplating suicide, and that's no longer the case for them. So they're actually more active, more, you know, doing the things that they need to do so that they can progress. So with them, if their symptoms have been relieved then want to make sure that they continue to be monitored.

COLLINS: Some great advice. Certainly a lot to think about this morning. Dr. Melvin Oatis, with the NYU Child Studies Center. Thanks for your time.

OATIS: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com