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The Washington Post is running an article about how pharmaceutical companies are sitting on studies which show that the antidepressants they produce are less effective in treating depression in children than placebos.

I’ve always been a bit wary about giving children powerful psychotropic medicines when changes in environments or levels of physical activity might have more of an affect, but to find out that the companies which are providing these drugs are actually hiding information which shows that their pills may actually increase incidences of attempted suicide and self-mutilation, well, that’s just beyond the pale.

Here’s a great example:

For example, GlaxoSmithKline, which makes Paxil, has conducted three trials on depressed children. Company officials said all turned out negative — the children on the drug did not do better than those on placebos — but only one was published. Based on its data, the company warned British doctors that Paxil, sold there as Seroxat, “should not be prescribed as new therapy” to depressed children younger than 18. Its letter last June cited the risk of increased hostility, agitation, and suicidal thoughts and attempts.

No such warning was issued in the United States, though Paxil is identical to Seroxat. Here, the company’s official line on giving Paxil to children is “No recommendations can be made regarding the use of Paxil or Paxil CR in these patients.”

Posted at 9:30 am.