A new study shows the state-sponsored health insurance system is permitting children enrolled in the program to get powerful mood-altering drugs without a mental health diagnosis warranting their use. The study was conducted for the Texas Health and Human Services (news - web sites) Commission. It said 52% of the more than 12-thousand children on Medicaid receiving antidepressants did not have a diagnosis justifying the use of the drugs. Also, there were no proper diagnoses in the case of 47% of young patients receiving antipsychotics and in 28% of patients getting stimulants. That's according to the Texas Pediatric/Adolescent Drug Review conducted for the state by A-C-S-Heritage. The study said almost 75% of the claims for antidepressants for the Texas children were for drugs that the FDA (news - web sites) warned last March can worsen depression and lead to suicidal thoughts.

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