Europe. The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has completed its review of serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and has concluded that these agents should not be used in children and adolescents except for their approved indications. The EMEA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) examined the potential risk of suicidal behaviour in children and adolescents receiving these antidepressants, and concluded that suicide-related behaviour and hostility were observed more frequently in children and adolescents receiving antidepressants than in those receiving placebo. The CHMP is recommending issuing strong warnings across the EU to both doctors and patients about these risks, and doctors and patients will be advised that these products should not be used for the treatment of children and adolescents except for their approved indications, which for some of these antidepressants include obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Reference:

EMEA Press Release, Doc. Ref, EMEA/CHMP/128918/2005, 25 April 2005 (http://www.emea.eu.int).