Fears over children on anti-pyschotic drugs

Published on Monday 5 May 2008 21:57

THE number of children being treated with anti-psychotic drugs has risen sharply, according to a new study.

Research by academics at the University of London's Pharmacy School found that, in 1992, 595 children in Britain were prescribed anti-psychotics, a rate of less than four per 10,000 children. By 2005, that figure had increased to 2,917 children, a rate of seven per 10,000, the study's lead author, Fariz Rani, found.

Researchers also found most drugs prescribed were not officially approved for children, with the most commonly prescribed drugs used to treat autism and hyperactivity.

Side effects including weight gain and heart problems have been reported in autistic or hyperactive children treated with anti-psychotic drugs, and the researchers claim there is little long-term evidence the drugs are safe.

The team wrote: "This highlights the need for long-term safety investigations and ongoing monitoring, particularly if the prescribing rate of these medicines continues to rise."

The study, which looked at more than 16,000 children, is the first large examination of the use of these drugs in UK children and was published yesterday in the journal Paediatrics.