Oh, another case of piss poor evidence, fancy that! Just like the evidence for Levothyroxine being safe and effective…
To quote from the BMJ ‘No correction, no retraction, no apology, no comment…’
Study 329 was started in 1994 by Smith Kline Beecham, which shortly become part of the larger conglomerate Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK). Study 329 looked at the use of paroxetine, an anti-depressant, in adolescents with depression.
Following this study paroxetine was promoted and marketed heavily by GSK as demonstrating, in the words of GKS marketing materials: ‘REMARKABLE Efficacy and safety’. Over two million prescriptions were then written for children and adolescents in the US.
However, in 2002 the FDA considered study 329 to be a ‘failed trial.’ In 2003 the UK recommended that paroxetine should not be used in children and adolescents with depression because it increased the risk of self-harm and potentially suicidal behaviour.
In 2004 the FDA placed a black box warning on all antidepressants in adolescents and children stating that…
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Lorraine Cleaver 