JOINT STATEMENT ON ATYPICAL ANTIPSYCHOTIC USE IN CHILDREN

Contact: Steve Vetzner, (703) 797-2588 or svetzner@mentalhealthamerica.net

[National mental health and suicide prevention organizations today released the following statement on the FDA’s Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee Meeting on June 9-10.]

(June 8, 2009)—As advocates for people living with mental illnesses, we strongly urge the FDA to carefully consider the importance of viable treatment options for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in pediatric and adolescent populations. Access to safe and effective treatments, including more information about all treatment options, is crucial to treating these serious and complex conditions in children and adolescents.

Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are very real, life-threatening diseases which can appear in childhood and adolescence. For example, federally funded research (STEP-BD) found that, of 3,658 adult patients studied, 68% reported bipolar disease onset in childhood or adolescence.  Patients with child onset had, on average, fewer days of euthymia (or neutral mood), greater impairment in functioning and poorer quality of life.  Those with adolescent onset have better outcomes than those with child onset, but were still worse off than those who did not suffer from bipolar disorder until adulthood.  These alarming statistics highlight the need for early recognition and treatment, which offers children and adolescents their best chance to achieve and maintain wellness.

We encourage an open and transparent scientific discourse about all pharmacologic treatments that come before the Advisory Committee and urge the Committee to carefully weigh the available evidence regarding safety and efficacy.  No one treatment option works for all children.  In order for physicians and families to make informed treatment decisions they need access to a full range of medications and treatment options and to the research regarding the risks and benefits of these treatments. More long-term clinical research in children and adolescents is also needed to better understand the risks and benefits of these medications when used over an extended period.

As we know, these medications can also have serious side effects, which is why it is crucial that parents and physicians have as much information as possible in order to make informed decisions and weigh the risk of side effects and adverse reactions against the risk of not treating these very serious diseases. Other treatments for grave childhood illnesses such as cancer can cause hair loss, nausea, compromised immune systems and even death.  However, few people question the necessity of these aggressive forms of treatment.  Like cancer, aggressive treatment may be needed for some patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, diseases with a higher risk of death than some forms of cancer.

The best way to protect the health of our nation’s children and adolescents is to increase access to treatment options and communicate accurate, scientific information that helps parents and physicians cope with and properly treat these devastating illnesses.

Our non-profit national mental health advocacy and medical professional organizations represent consumers, physicians, researchers and the top experts in the field of mental health and neuroscience. For more information about mental illness and treatment, we recommend that you talk to your health care provider or visit our organization websites.

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - www.aacap.org

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention - www.afsp.org

American Psychiatric Association - www.psych.org

Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation - www.bpkids.org

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder - www.chadd.org

Families for Depression Awareness - www.familyaware.org

Mental Health America - www.mentalhealthamerica.net

National Alliance on Mental Illness - www.nami.org

National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare - www.TheNationalCouncil.org


News & Events...
Mental Health Association
Mental Health Association
P.O. Box 16246      Chapel Hill, NC 27516     919.942.8083
News & Events...
Would you like to support the Mental Health Association in Orange County? Your financial contribution will be appreciated! Your donation will help our outreach in the community all of our programs: Compeer, Family Advocacy Network, Strengthening Families Program,  the Community Backyard, the Pro Bono Counseling Network, and Northside Community Garden. Donations should be sent to the MHAOC at P.O. Box 16246, Chapel Hill, NC 27516.
Please consider donating to the Mental Health Association in Orange County by clicking the GuideStar link...
SPONSORSHIP CATEGORIES

Gold ($1,000+)
Antique ($500-$999)
Silver ($250-$499)
Porcelain ($100-$249)
Crystal ($10-$99)
in Orange County
ABOUT US
PROGRAMS
HOME
Info & Resources
NEWS & EVENTS
CONTACT US
The Mental Health Association in Orange County publishes a semi-annual newsletter, MINDTalk, for the general membership population, as well as a monthly publication, FANTalk, for parents and professionals involved with our Family Advocacy Network. In addition to these two print publications, we publish a bi-monthly electronic newsletter. If you would like to be added to our mailing list, please click the link below.

Complete the form and click "Submit" when finished.
FANtalk
a publication of the Mental Health Association in Orange County
published for the Family Advocacy Network
(click on the PDF below to view a recent issue)
MIND TALK
a publication of the Mental Health Association
in Orange County
The condition of mental health reform in the State of North Carolina has continued to decline over the past several years. Legislation to divest the public mental healthcare system has created chaos on an already over-burdened system. Services have been cut and consumers have become the victims who suffer instead of receiving quality psychiatric treatment while lawmakers move slowly to repair what they broke in their reform efforts. This section will bring you the latest news and reviews on what is happening with reform and debacle in the mental health care system locally and across the state.
Newspapers
Television News
Newsletters
Newsroom
Upcoming Events
Nothing currently pending. Check back later.