FDA Responds to Barton, Greenwood Inquiry on Antidepressant Use WASHINGTON (April 15) - Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today issued the following statement upon receiving the Food and Drug Administration's response to a March 24 letter from the committee seeking information on the use of antidepressants by children: "Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman James Greenwood (R-PA), has been dogged in his pursuit of the antidepressant issue, and in response to our letter, the FDA admits important facts for the first time. "FDA's primary medical reviewer believed that the available data were sufficient to conclude an association exists between the use of antidepressants and suicidal behavior in children. He also recommended that action occur without further delay, although others at FDA disagreed with his recommendation. There are troubling questions of whether FDA supervisors inappropriately suppressed significant information that would have been of consequence to their own advisory committee, not to mention the public. "The Committee will pursue these questions and, given the public interest in resolving this matter, a hearing is one potential means by which to gather further information." Download the FDA Response (Adobe PDF) #### Related Documents News Release Barton, Greenwood Seek Info From FDA On Antidepressants March 24, 2004 Barton, Greenwood Seek Info From FDA On Antidepressants Letter to The Honorable Mark B. McClellan Food and Drug Administration March 24, 2004 News Release Energy and Commerce Leaders Questioning U.S. Oncology June 26, 2003 Energy and Commerce Leaders Questioning U.S. Oncology Letter to Mr. R. Dale Ross U.S. Oncology June 26, 2003 The Safety and Efficacy of Pharmaceuticals Imported into the United States Letter to The Honorable Mark McClellan Food and Drug Administration June 5, 2003 News Release Tauzin, Greenwood Examine FDA's Adequacy on Food Import Controls June 11, 2003 Tauzin, Greenwood Examine FDA's Adequacy on Food Import Controls Letter to The Honorable Mark McClellan Food and Drug Administration June 11, 2003 More On FDA