CHICAGO (Reuters) - Up to a third of children and adolescents who took common antipsychotic drugs for the first time became overweight or obese in as little as 11 weeks, raising their risk for diabetes and heart disease, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday. They said doctors who prescribe antipsychotics to children should carefully consider the benefits against the risks. "These data confirm prior findings that children and adolescents are highly vulnerable to antipsychotic medication," Dr... Read Full Story
LONDON (Reuters) - Schizophrenia patients given a cheap older drug are less likely to die prematurely than people on newer treatments, despite the older product's well-known adverse side effects, Finnish researchers said on Monday. The finding may lead to wider use of clozapine -- sold by Novartis as Clozaril, but also available as a generic -- instead of newer drugs like AstraZeneca's Seroquel, the current market leader. Clozapine was the first of a new generation of schizophrenia drugs... Read Full Story
LONDON (Reuters) - Schizophrenia patients given a cheap older drug are less likely to die prematurely than people on newer treatments, despite the older product's well-known adverse side effects, Finnish researchers said on Monday. The finding may lead to wider use of clozapine -- sold by Novartis as Clozaril, but also available as a generic -- instead of newer drugs like AstraZeneca's Seroquel, the current market leader. Clozapine was the first of a new generation of schizophrenia drugs... Read Full Story
ADELPHI, Maryland (Reuters) - Three widely used antipsychotic medications appear safe and effective overall in treating children and teenagers with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, a U.S. advisory panel said on Wednesday. The Food and Drug Administration's panel of outside experts backed wider use of the pills -- Eli Lilly and Co's Zyprexa, AstraZeneca's Seroquel and Pfizer's Geodon -- but expressed concern over long-term effects the medications may have in younger patients. The drugs are... Read Full Story
* Advisers weigh if 3 drugs should be approved for kids * FDA wants committee to consider risks * Makers say side effects acceptable in light of benefits By Lisa Richwine ADELPHI, Maryland (Reuters) - U.S. advisers began considering on Tuesday whether the makers of three blockbuster antipsychotic drugs should be allowed to promote them for children and teens with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Eli Lilly and Co's Zyprexa, AstraZeneca's Seroquel and Pfizer's Geodon are approved for adults... Read Full Story
Liz Spikol writes a blog called The Trouble With Spikol . But, she says, it's not she who's the problem. The Philadelphia Weekly magazine managing editor, who suffers from bipolar disorder, says the real trouble with mental illness is its stigma. That's why Spikol is using the Internet as a vehicle to destroy the myths and stereotypes about schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other illnesses. Opening up to the world is never easy — even for Spikol, who freely discusses her 20-year battle... Read Full Story
Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration say a powerful psychiatric drug from AstraZeneca is safe and effective to treat schizophrenia in adolescents. The FDA's panel of experts voted overwhelmingly that the pill Seroquel is a useful treatment for schizophrenia in patients ages 13 to 17. A vote on the drug's use for pediatric bipolar disorder is slated for later Wednesday. The group also is weighing expanded approval of drugs from Eli Lilly and Pfizer for schizophrenia and bipolar... Read Full Story
Date Published: Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Yet another study has linked significant weight gains in children to some antipsychotic medication. Forbes reported that an emerging study found that weight gains of 10-to-20 pounds were not unusual in children during their first three months on the medications like Zyprexa , Seroquel , Risperdal and Abilify . Also, cholesterol, triglyceride, and other metabolic “parameters” were elevated, said Forbes.
It has long been known and... Read Full Story
Three atypical antipsychotics — Seroqiel, Geodon, and Zyprexa — were voted to be “acceptably safe” and effective for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in teenagers and children, said a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel of outside… Read Full Story
Date Published: Thursday, June 11th, 2009
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) advisory panel voted to recommend approval of three popular psychotropic medications—atypical antipsychotics— for children with specific conditions. The vote concerned AstraZeneca PLC’s Seroquel , Eli Lilly and Company’s Zyprexa, and Pfizer Inc.’s Geodon .
According to the agency’s advisory panel, the three drugs have been deemed safe and effective for pediatric patients—children and teens... Read Full Story
