By Dr. Joseph Mercola
This is damning evidence of the drug companies' patent disregard for the safety of humans and focus on profits. GlaxoSmithKline was found to be concealing evidence that shows that these drugs do not benefit children in any way and only increase their risk of killing themselves. This was confirmed in an article in the Canadian Medical Journal.
Fortunately, the British medical journals are far more responsive than the American ones. The Lancet’s editorial states:
Folks, if this doesn't make you fighting mad, what will?
Just sit down and think about it for a moment. Drug companies do the research and learn that the drugs don't work, yet are willing to sell and market them to children even when it is clear that they are causing many children to commit suicide.
Unpublished studies of venlafaxine suggested the drug increased suicide-related events such as suicidal thoughts or attempts by 14 times compared with placebo. This is reprehensible and despicable behavior equivalent to any third-world dictator.
How can anyone possibly support this approach?
If this makes you one-tenth as angry as it does me, I encourage you to do something practical about it. Tell several of your friends and have them join the newsletter so they can learn practical alternatives to the ineffective and deadly solutions being manipulated onto us and our children so these evil companies can earn more profit.
Rather than risking the potentially deadly side effects of these drugs, I recommend the following three steps. The great majority of patients at my clinic noticed an amazing improvement in their depression when following them:
Omega-3 oils, specifically fish oil, is probably the single most important nutrient for a child with depression to take.
Next they should only drink water as their beverage, taking care to avoid fruit juices, soda and milk.
Restrict sugars and grains, which cause insulin levels to be elevated. You can read about the techniques to follow to remove all grains and sugars from your diet in my new book, Dr. Mercola’s Total Health Program.
Popping pills is rarely the answer to helping children suffering from depression; it is only a temporary Band-Aid. In order to truly help these children, we need to focus on finding the underlying cause of the problem, then search for ways to treat it.