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Biotech / Medical : PFE (Pfizer) How high will it go? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (6252)	11/9/1998 2:45:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9523

Antidepressants, Hyperactivity Drugs Safe For Children, Group Says November 09, 1998 12:26 PM By Raymond Hennessey, Staff Reporter NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- The American Heart Association said Monday it believes the use of antidepressant and antihyperactive drugs on the part of children doesn't pose a serious threat to heart problems, but the group is still recommending "common sense" precautions. The AHA recommended that doctors prescribing depression drugs such as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and the attention deficit disorder drug Ritalin to children first get a detailed medical history, looking for such signs as fainting and palpitations. The doctor is advised also to get a detailed family history. For some of the older, less prescribed antidepressants, known as tricyclic drugs, and some other drugs for the treatment of extreme psychiatric disorders, doctors are being advised to take an electrocardiogram of the child before prescribing the medicine, then another one when the drug has taken effect, generally around a week. The AHA's statement comes at a time of increased criticism of pediatricians and psychiatrists for overprescribing Ritalin and antidepressants to treat attention deficit/hyperactive disorder and mood disorders. In general, the psychiatric community has responded with "excessively restrictive recommendations" of several electrocardiograms when prescribing any of the drugs, said Dr. Dianne Atkins, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Iowa. On the other hand, the pediatric community has said there is no need for monitoring, Atkins said. The AHA has compromised the two positions. While believing that some monitoring is appropriate, the group "did not think it was necessary that children be tested once a week or once every several weeks," Atkins said. The AHA's statement - which is unusual because it isn't directed at cardiologists - will help remove some of the stigma attached to prescribing these drugs to children, said Dr. Bennett Leventhal, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Chicago. "There are lots of barriers to putting children on drugs," he said. "This report takes one of those barriers away." Since the Food and Drug Administration historically hasn't required testing of the effects of adult drugs on children, many doctors have been "left flying blind" on any possible negative side effects, Leventhal said. Now, more doctors can prescribe the drug knowing that a careful study has been done, he said. Leventhal said the criticism that such drugs are overprescribed is unfounded. He estimates that between 8% and 10% of U.S. children have either attention deficit/hyperactive disorder or are suffering from depression. Only about 2% are being treated with medication, he said. -Raymond Hennessey; 201-938-5240; raymond.hennessey@cor.dowjones.com Copyright (c) 1998 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.