FDA Limits Warning on Suicide Risk from SSRI Anti-Depressants to Adults up to Age 24

On May 2, 2007, the FDA announced that pharmaceutical companies selling selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants would be required to revise the current black box warning of an increased risk of suicidality in children and adolescents to include adults, but only young adults ages 18 to 24.  It's been noted with some sarcasm that apparently the risk of suicide no longer exists once a person hits 25.

An FDA advisory committee had held a public hearing on December 13, 2006 to review drug company data that show SSRIs to be associated with suicidality in adults. Commonly prescribed SSRIs in the US include Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa and Lexapro.

See here for further discussion of the debate of the suicide risk present by SSRI anti-depressants, and the adequacy of warnings provided by drug makers.