"Off-Label" Prescribing

Phil Dawdy over at Furious Seasons has an interesting post this morning. Antipsychotic Use Up 1,000 Percent In Canadian Kids, highlights the number of children taking medications known as atypical antipsychotics in Canada has increased tenfold over the past decade.

This interested me as I've recently been in correspondence with the MHRA with regard to "off-label" prescribing. A practise, I believe, is the crux of the non-acceptance by doctors that SSRi withdrawal is an issue.

If a doctor deems it fit to prescribe an SSRi to a child, despite that particular drug being banned for use in that age group, then what hope do adults have when complaining to their doctor about a whole host of problems they have when tapering?

Conversations with the MHRA has proved baffling as it seems they are powerless to stop this practise of "off-label" prescribing.

I don't actually know who has the authority to stop it? Surely this is hugely problematic.

The MHRA have recently uploaded a 'Drug Safety Update' (April 2009 edition) where "off-label" prescribing is highlighted. It still does not throw any light on this subject other than basically telling the doctor that they are responsible for the drugs they prescribe... at least that's the way I see it?

What we have here is:

1. Pharmaceutical Product
2. MHRA Rules [ie; Not recommended for persons under the age of -------- Fill blank]
3. GP's

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