Media Reports Nationwide on Children & Antidepressants

[Guest guest]

> atracyphd2

> Thu, 9 Sep 2004 00:23:46 EDT

> [drugawareness] Media Reports Nationwide on

> Children & Antidepressants

>

> The following is a transcript and access to the

> online video of the interview

> with Mathy Downing, mother of 12 year old Candace

> Downing, who died earlier

> this year in a Zoloft-induced suicide. It is an

> excellent report by the local

> ABC station in the DC area.

>

> Amy Coburn did an interview with CNN this evening.

> After her father's death

> Amy was given Paxil to cope. After only a short time

> on the drug she attempted

> suicide by drinking Draino. Amy has been very vocal

> about this as a warning to

> other teens. She is a beauty queen now, beautiful

> both inside and out, and

> has made antidepressants and children her platform

> because she is so concerned

> about this issue. The CNN piece should air Monday.

>

> Tom Woodward, his neighbor Doug Ross, and I did an

> interview with NPR radio

> which should be airing this next week.

>

> Thanks to all the parents and children who are

> working so hard to help the

> media cover this most important issue as the FDA

> hearings draw near. Watch

> closely this week to catch all the media reports. If

> your local media is

> interested, have them contact us for any assistance.

>

> Dr. Tracy

> ______________

>

> Ann Blake Tracy, Ph.D.,

> Executive Director, International Coalition For Drug

> Awareness

> Author: Prozac: Panacea or Pandora? - Our Serotonin

> Nightmare & audio tape on

> safe withdrawal: " Help! I Can't Get Off My

> Antidepressant! "

> Order Number: 800-280-0730

> Website: www.drugawareness.org

>

>

>

> Be sure to access the video from this online link:

> http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0904/171639.html

>

> ABC 7 Medical: Teens and Antidepressants

> Wednesday September 08, 2004 5:35pm

>

>

>

> eVideo: Medical: Teens and Antidepressants

>

>

> -WJLA Script-

>

> Anchor:

> A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE BEGINS ITS INVESTIGATION

> INTO WHETHER THE FDA

> FAILED TO REVEAL POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING SIDE

> EFFECTS OF ANTIDEPRESSANTS WHEN

> USED BY CHILDREN.

>

> TONIGHT ABC-7 MEDICAL REPORTER KATHY FOWLER BRINGS

> US ONE LOCAL FAMILY'S

> HEARTBREAKING STORY - AND EXPLAINS WHY THEY BLAME

> THE FDA FOR THEIR DAUGHTER'S

> DEATH.

>

> Kathy Fowler on-set:

> 12 YEAR OLD CANDACE DOWNING WAS AN HONOR STUDENT, AN

> ATHLETE, AND HAD A

> BUBBLY PERSONALITY THAT ATTRACTED LOTS OF FRIENDS.

> SHE WAS ALSO AN OVER ACHEIVER

> AND THAT LEAD TO SCHOOL ANXIETY. DESPITE THE NAME

> ANTI-DEPRESSANTS - DOCTORS

> ALSO USE THESE DRUGS TO CALM HIGH ANXIETY.

>

> CANDACE'S MOTHER AGREED TO PUT HER DAUGHTER ON

> ANTIDEPRESSANTS BUT SHE DIDN'T

> KNOW THERE COULD BE SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS.

>

> " hello I'm Candace Downing "

>

> THIS WAS ONE OF CANDACE DOWNINGS LAST PERFORMANCES

>

> JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER THIS SKIT WAS TAPED...

> CANDACE KILLED HERSELF. SHE

> WAS JUST 12 YEARS OLD.

>

> Mathy Downing: " SHE never got to be a teenager...

> she had so many plans and

> she had so many dreams... and they took them all.

> and it didn't have to happen "

>

>

> CANDACE'S MOTHER BLAMES HER DAUGHTER'S SUICIDE ON

> THE ANTI-DEPRESSANT,

> ZOLOFT. A PSYCHAITRIST PRESCRIBED, ZOLOFT NOT

> BECAUSE CANDACE WAS DEPRESSED, BUT TO

> TREAT HER ANXIETY OVER TESTING IN SCHOOL.

>

> Mathy Downing: " You tell me where it says theres a

> chance children may harm

> themelves OR die while on this medication this is it

> that's it "

>

> WHILE DRUG COMPANIES TYPICALLY PUT WARNING LABELS ON

> MEDICATION - THOSE

> WARNINGS HAVE TO BE FDA APPROVED.

>

> TOMORROW, THE HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES THE

> FDA BEGINS IT'S

> INVESTIGATION INTO WHY THE FDA DIDN'T RELEASE IT'S

> OWN STUDY LAST FEBRUARY THAT FOUND

> MANY ANTI-DEPRESSANTS INCREASED A CHILD'S RISK OF

> HAVING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS OR

> ACTUALLY COMMITTING SUICIDE.

>

> 7 MONTHS AGO, THE FDA'S DIRECTOR OF DRUG EVALUATION

> SAID, THERE ISN'T ANY

> DOUBT THAT THESE DRUGS CAN CAUSE AKATHISIA A

> CONDITION THAT CAUSES SEVERE

> AGITATION THAT CAN LEAD TO SUICIDE.

>

> DESPITE THE POSSIBILITY OF SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS,

> MANY CHILD PSYCHIATRISTS SAY

> ANTIDEPRESSANTS CAN SAVE CHILDREN'S LIVES.

>

> Dr. Adelaide Rob: " while anti-depessants have side

> effects, for many people

> they take a child who's not getting out of bed, not

> bathing not talking to

> their friends and not doing their school work and

> get them back to where they

> are laughing and smiling "

>

> BUT NOT ALL DOCTORS AGREE THE BENEFITS OUTWEIGHT THE

> RISKS. 10 YEARS AGO, Dr.

> PETER BREGGIN, FORMERLY WITH THE NIH , RECOMMENDED

> TO THE FDA, WARNING LABELS

> FOR ANTI-DEPRESSANTS SITING STRONG BEHAVIORAL

> REACTIONS INCLUDING VIOLENCE,

> DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE.

>

> Candace Downing " hey guys thank you joining me

> Wednesday... "

>

> CANDACES MOTHER JUST WISHES SHE WOULD HAVE KNOWN OF

> THE DANGERS BEFORE GIVING

> THE DRUGS TO HER CHILD.

>

> Mathy Downing: They had an obligation to let parents

> know this was a risk

> because if I for one would never have risked my

> child's life for anything.. and

> they had no right to make that decision for me. "

>

> Candace Downing: " see you later bye bye "

>

> Kathy Fowler:

> WE CONTACTED PFIZER THE MAKER OF ZOLOFT, THE DRUG

> THAT CANDACE DOWNING TOOK,

> PFIZER DID NOT HAVE A COMMENT FOR OUR STORY... BUT

> WE CAN TELL YOU THERE IS

> " NOW " A WARNING ON ZOLOFT.

>

> IT SAYS CHILDREN MAY BE MORE SENSITIVE TO THE

> EFFECTS OF THIS MEDICINE.

>

> THE FDA IS MEETING NEXT WEEK TO DECIDE WHETHER

> STRONGER WARNING LABELS ARE

> NEEDED OR EVEN IF SOME OF THESE ANTI-DEPRESSANTS

> SHOULD BE BANNED FOR CHILDREN.

>