European drug watchdog backs Prozac for children

Last Updated: 2006-06-06 9:56:56 -0400 (Reuters Health)

LONDON (Reuters) - Europe's medicine watchdog said on Tuesday that Prozac could be used to treat children aged eight years and over.

Despite controversy over giving antidepressants to adolescents, the European Medicines Agency said the benefits outweighed the risks in children with moderate to severe depression who failed to respond to psychological therapy.

Prozac, or fluoxetine, was originally developed by Eli Lilly and Co but is now widely available in generic versions since Lilly's patent has expired.