FDA warnings about antidepressants may have led to more suicide attempts

A decade ago the FDA warned, rightly, about the risks associated with adolescents and suicide attempts when taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, a class of antidepressants. But, a BMJ article from Harvard researchers, available at the Washington Post, show this warning backfired. The WP says:

“antidepressant prescriptions fell sharply for adolescents age 10 to 17 and for young adults age 18 to 29." 

As fewer adolescents took the medications, the rate of suicides also increased by 20%.  The takeaway:

Researchers said their findings underscore how even well-intentioned public health warnings can produce unintended conseque­n­c­­es, particularly when they involve widespread media attention and sensitive topics such as depression and suicide.