Anti-depressants and Children: Suicidality,

Antidepressants, specifically Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRis ), have been used to treat a plethora of neurological diseases, such as major depressive disorder (MDD)and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). 1 The first SSRI medication available for prescription was Eli Lilly Company's Prozac, which received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 1987.2 Initially, SSRis were attractive to physicians because they appeared to have few side-effects and be more effective than previous medications.3 However, in 1990, questions arose as to whether SSRis caused patients to commit suicide. 4 Although there is some anecdotal evidence to support the theory that SSRis cause suicide, there is little scientific evidence to support the claim, and the FDA has previously resisted placing "black box" labels (the strongest available) on SSRI medications. 5 As SSRis became more prevalent, doctors began prescribing them to adolescent and pediatric patients, although the drugs were not approved for such uses. 6 These prescriptions, known as off-label prescriptions, have increased despite a lack of efficacy data and pediatric drug trials. 7 Steps such as collecting efficacy data and performing drug trials are important because a drug safe for use in adults may not be safe for children due to metabolic and