Antidepressants Causing Canadian Kids To Commit Suicide?

Adult antidepressants suspected in suicides of Canadian kids

Powerful antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs approved only for use in adults are suspected of harming — in some cases killing — Canadian children.

Though Health Canada and the drug makers acknowledge the drugs are not approved for use in anyone under 18, doctors — often general practitioners with little psychiatric training — are prescribing these medications with little oversight.

Health Canada told the Star it has no jurisdiction to deal with the problem.

The regulator concedes the drugs may hurt kids but said it is up to drug companies to communicate the risks and doctors to safely prescribe the medications.

A Star investigation has found nearly 400 cases of children and teens suffering serious, sometimes fatal side effects suspected to have been caused by these drugs since 2002.

A 9-year-old boy’s breath shortened, stomach twisted and balance faltered before he died while on three different antipsychotics.

A 15-year-old boy experienced an irregular heartbeat and convulsed before killing himself while on antipsychotic Seroquel.

A 15-year-old girl on Prozac took her life in 2011.

Twenty-eight cases resulted in death, including the suicide of a 9-year-old boy three weeks after he started taking Zoloft, an antidepressant, in 2006. Convulsions and suicide attempts were among the most frequently reported suspected side effects.
Adult antidepressants suspected in suicides of Canadian kids

The drugs being given to Canadian children are the very same ones that a vast majority of the “mass shooters” in the United States have been on. Prozac, Zoloft, etc.

Antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs are well known for these types of side effects.

“Patients who take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac (fluoxetine), Paxil (paroxetine) or Zoloft (sertraline) may experience side effects such as violent behavior, mania or aggression, which can all lead to suicide.

What begins as withdrawing from friends and activities and a loss of interest in work can escalate to harming oneself. In clinical trials and public use, there have been cases where antidepressant users have thought about, attempted or committed suicide.”
rugwatch.com

Many studies have shown that these drugs do more harm than good for patients, including one from McMaster University.

It is quite incredible that Health Canada is claiming that they have “no jurisdiction to deal with the problem”. Yet they are actively regulating the natural health product industry (including medical marijuana) into the ground. To keep us all safe of course!

Over regulation of plants and natural substances that have not caused a single Canadian death, and no oversight on antipsychotic drugs that are causing serious health impacts including death on a daily basis. That sounds to be about “par for the course” with Health Canada.

If you have a child that seems to be down or depressed. I highly recommend spending some quality time with them before rushing them off to a doctor.