After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced warnings about certain antidepressants including Paxil and their possible side effects in younger people, the number of children and teenagers prescribed the drugs dropped dramatically, an April 2007 study found. "Impact of Publicity Concerning Pediatric Suicidality Data on Physician Practice Patterns in the United States," published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, was designed to "provide additional analyses on the prescribing trends of antidepressants across age groups and physician specialties in the United States."

However studies have found that SSRIs like Paxil can actually worsen depression in youths and children prescribed the drugs. In fact, one study found that the suicide rate for children under 18 more than doubled when they were prescribed these medications, from 3 in 1,000 to 7 in 1,000.

The FDA announced its first public health warning in October 2003, and then in March 2004 followed that up with an official "black box warning" on Paxil and all SSRIs about the increased suicide rate for teens and children. According to the research study, this was about the time that the number of antidepressant prescriptions started to drop off in general. However it was obvious, the researchers found, that the impact on prescriptions for youths were the most affected.

From April 2002 to February 2004, prescriptions for SSRIs for children under 18 increased 0.79% each month. But from February 2004 to July 2004, they experienced a monthly decrease of 4.23% before leveling off again.

Researchers also noted that there was a shift in who was prescribing these medications. From December 2003 to February 2004, about 44 percent of the children prescribed SSRIs like Paxil were under the care of psychaitrists. That number increased to 63 percent for the period between December 2004 and February 2005.

It should be noted that the only SSRI ever approved for use in teens and children is Prozac. Although Paxil and other drugs have been prescribed to youths, it is technically not approved for their use.

If you or a loved one has experienced the devastating affects of Paxil first hand, contact Jim S. Adler & Associates for a free case assessment. We have over 30 years in medical law, and we may be able to help you secure the compensation you deserve for your medical bills, lost work, and pain and suffering caused by Paxil. But don't try to decide for yourself. Contact Jim S. Adler & Associates for your free assessment right now. Call us directly, or fill out the form on this page with the details of your Paxil case to start your free case assessment.

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