A Closer Look at The Suicide Risk With Epilepsy Drugs
On April 20, 2005, the FDA declared that manufactures of epilepsy drugs, such as Neurontin and Depakote, need to reexamine their data to see if there is a link between the drugs use and increase in suicide and suicidal behavior.
This is similar to last year's request by the FDA regarding the suicide rate in children and antidepressants known as SSRI's. The FDA placed its sternest warning, the arguably toothless "black box" warning, on the entire class of drugs based on the results of inquiry.
However, unlike the SSRI inquiry, the FDA did not release a Public Health Advisory. It shall remain to be seen why the inquiry is being kept relatively secret.
It is a very good possibility that the epilepsy drugs will have the same fate. This class represents the fifth most prescribed drugs in the nation, and drug companies are notorious for marketing these drugs for off-label use. Last year, Pfizer settled with the United States Department of Justice paying $430 million in fines for illegal marketing of Neurontin for unapproved use.
Due to the large numbers of people who take these drugs, it is disturbing that the FDA's request is coming so late in the game. Doctors prescribed Neurontin 17 million times last year alone, ringing up sales of $2.6 billion. The biggest problem involves the mass off-label use of these drugs and the risk of suicide. For off-label use, many times the only effect the drug is having on the patient is increasing their risk of suicide and suicidal behavior.