Prozac, also known as Fluoxetine hydrochloride is an antidepressant drug used to treat Depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Bulimia Nervosa, Pre-menstrual Dysphoric Disorder and various Panic Disorders. It is a non-approved medication for ADHD as well and is sold under several brand names. Prozac was introduced to the U.S. market in 1988 and it is one of the only antidepressant drugs certified as safe for children.
Recently, reports of suicidal behavior in children and adolescents taking Prozac have become more widespread. A large new study indicates that kids taking the drug have an approximately 50% higher risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts. The study recommends a label change for these antidepressants because they are currently taken by more than one million children in the U.S.
The FDA’s hearing was in relation to all antidepressants and it has been identified that on average, kids that are taking antidepressants are an extra 2 -3% percent more likely to have increased suicidal thoughts. Among all antidepressants, children taking Luvox, Effexor and Paxil were at much higher risk while children taking Celexa, Zoloft and Prozac were at lower risk. Still, any finding where an antidepressant drug has been found to create more problems than it solves is disturbing and raises product liability issues including a failure to warn and potential drug defects.
Children and depression is a tough subject all around – only made harder when medications like Prozac that should help ultimately cause harm. Making the decision to put your child on an antidepressant is a hard enough without worrying about the long term health risks associated with the powerful medications. It is very important that you seek the help of a licensed and certified psychiatrist when making a decision like this. Your child should probably be treated in a multi-faceted approach with both medication to correct any chemical imbalance and therapy.
There have been some discoveries that are disturbing about Prozac and pregnancy problems. Specifically, as of June, 2004 the FDA recommended special labeling on antidepressant drugs like Prozac to warn mother about potential harm to their fetus. The FDA said that the potential prenatal risks of fetal exposure to selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors should be better communicated to prospective mothers and patients although a specific and conclusive link has not be determined between the medications and ill effects on the child. The FDA reported that it has received information of neurological, neuromuscular and autonomic maladies in newborns whose mothers were taking SSRI/SNRIs such as Prozac, Paxil, Celexa, Effexor, Zoloft and Luvox. After the babies were born, some mothers reported agitation, irritability and trouble feeding that could be withdrawal syndrome from the antidepressant medication.
If you have experienced bad prozac side effects, were pregnant and taking prozac or your child has taken prozac with ill effects, you may have grounds to sue based on defective drug product liability laws. The statute of limitations on some of these lawsuits can prevent you from bringing a claim, but you should nevertheless contact an experienced product liability attorney to explore your case and individual situation.