Neurologists query suicidality alerts on newer anti-epileptics
A blanket warning across the class of antiseizure medications is not backed by evidence, the researchers say
The suicidality warnings slapped on five of the most recently approved anti-epileptic drugs fly in the face of the evidence, US researchers say after conducting a meta-analysis.
Since the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the first alert on antiseizure medications in 2008, all but one newly approved agent has carried a similar warning, seemingly because the regulator has taken the approach that it’s a class effect, the authors say.
In 2009 the TGA also issued a ‘special warning’ of the risk of suicide for antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) across the board.
The medicines regulators based their respective blanket warnings on an FDA meta-analysis of 199 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving 11 AEDs.
