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Sunday, 16 February, 2025
HomeNews UpdateUK regulator probes anti-depressants safety alerts after suicide link

UK regulator probes anti-depressants safety alerts after suicide link

The UK’s medicines regulator is reviewing dozens of safety alerts for 30 common antidepressants, it has been revealed, after the recent suicide of a British member of the royal family who was found to have been prescribed one of the medications on the list.

Last week a coroner ruled that Thomas Kingston, the husband of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent’s daughter Lady Gabriella Kingston, fatally shot himself after an apparent adverse effect from the drugs he had been prescribed, which included the antidepressant citalopram.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), has received more than 216 alerts over fatalities linked to citalopram since 2014, according to data analysed by The Independent.

The data, called yellow card alerts, also show 704 alerts over fatal adverse reactions linked to sertraline, another antidepressant taken by Kingston, over the same period.

During the inquest, his wife called for better warnings for patients over side effects linked to antidepressants, which can include anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

The findings come after The Independent revealed the MHRA is undertaking a review of safety warnings for 30 antidepressants, including citalopram and Prozac.

The MHRA review is looking at the effectiveness of safety warnings after families’ concerns over the loss of their loved ones.

The MHRA said it could not provide an update on the review as it is ongoing.

“It’s important to note that the patient information leaflet provided in packs of citalopram as well as the summary of product characteristics for healthcare professionals includes information about the possibility of feeling increased anxiety at the start of treatment as well as the risk of having thoughts about suicide, with the advice that patients should contact their doctor or go to hospital straight away.”

Citalopram and sertraline are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Kingston had also been prescribed zopiclone, a sedative drug.

The most recent data show 5.2m patients were prescribed SSRIs in 2021, up from 4.2m in 2015-16.

Yellow card data from the MHRA shows 28 alerts, since 2014, over fatalities linked to patients with suicidal thoughts who were taking citalopram. For sertraline, 83 alerts have been made over fatalities linked to suicidal behaviour.

According to evidence given at his inquest, Kingston had complained sertraline made him anxious.

A medical expert at the inquest, Dr David Healy, suggested this was a sign SSRIs “did not suit him” and that he should not have been prescribed citalopram after this.

He said the guidelines and labels for SSRIs were not clear enough about the effects of using the drugs, or of moving from one to another.

“We need a much more explicit statement saying that these drugs can cause people to commit suicide who wouldn’t have otherwise,” he said.

 

The Independent article – Hundreds of alerts over deaths linked to antidepressants taken by Thomas Kingston (Open access)

 

See more from MedicalBrief archives:

 

Antidepressants link to sexual problems a bigger issue than thought?

 

Why antidepressants cause emotional ‘blunting’ – UK-Danish study

 

Steady rise in antidepressant-linked OD deaths over 20 years

 

Self-harm risk high immediately after starting antidepressants – US analysis

 

 

 

 

 

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