Candace was a happy 12-year-old girl who had never been depressed or had suicidal ideation. She was prescribed sertraline because she suffered from school anxiety. Her mother Mathy found her beautiful little girl hanging, her knees drawn up. Her father knew the minute he saw her that it was too late but tried to administer CPR, which continued for another 45 minutes at the hospital but in vain.
“Do you know what that’s like, to see your happy little girl hanging? There was no note, no warning, not for her, not for us.”
When Candace entered middle school, she began having problems on tests and frustration over certain homework assignments. She would block on answers she knew on tests, or write so illegibly that some answers were marked incorrect, even if she had them correct. Because of her parents’ concern, she saw her paediatrician, who recommended that she see a child psychiatrist. He immediately wanted to give her sertraline. Mathy was opposed, but he reassured her that it was safe and that he would recheck her in three weeks. After three weeks, he wanted to double the dose, from 12.5 mg to 25 mg, which Mathy opposed. Because of her vehemence, the medication was not increased at that time.
Right before school started following summer vacation, Mathy and Candace returned to the child psychiatrist, who once again wanted to increase the dose. When Mathy voiced concern, he stated, “What are you worried about? Kids take 100-200 mg of Zoloft a day without any problems.”
“Why was so much hidden from us? Why were we not ever informed about the contraindications or adverse reactions of Zoloft, or for that matter, antidepressants in children? Didn’t we have the right to be informed? … Shouldn’t it have been our choice to place Candace on medications that involved risk rather than the pharmaceutical companies or the FDA?”
Candace had many friends. Everybody loved her and when she died, more than a thousand people attended her service. Candace was everybody’s little girl, and if it could happen to her, it could happen to anyone’s child.
After Candace’s death, the Downings became aware that an abrupt withdrawal from an antidepressant can prove fatal, as it can create psychotic states, with decreased powers of reasoning. No one ever told them that their daughter was going in and out of psychotic states and needed to be watched closely every second.
“If we had been able to make our own choices, if we had been aware of the risks, this would never have happened, as we would never have allowed Candace to be placed on such a risky and controversial medication,” said Andrew Downing.
“What happened to our daughter and so many others like her is a travesty. We have since met other families who have lost their child after Zoloft was prescribed for test anxiety. Those in a position to create positive change can go home to their children at night. We will never have that opportunity with Candace again. Our therapist referred to what happened to Candace as abduction. She was taken away from us with no warning and died in the process. What gave them that right?” Mathy stated tearfully.
The Downings, and other families, charge that drug makers knew from premarketing studies that these drugs made some children and teens suicidal but hid the study results.
“This is about the right of the American people to make their own decisions. I can’t sit back as an American citizen and watch children continue to die. And that is why we hope the documentary “Prescription: Suicide?” will help to get that message out where it counts: among the American families whose biggest concern is to protect and nurture their children,” said Mathy.
The Downings have testified at FDA hearings and are lobbying Congress to make all research public. Mathy has also addressed the US Drug Safety Systems Committee, which is reviewing the numerous allegations against the FDA’s inadequate handling of policy regarding antidepressants.
The Downings’ psychiatrist had not told them that he was on Pfizer payroll making speeches touting Zoloft. Pfizer said in a statement for CBS News that “it’s paid consulting work with doctors helps the company learn how to reduce adverse reactions.” No condolences were apparently offered.
People have called the Downings and said that because of Candace their child is alive, as they knew what to look for.
(First published in my book, Deadly Psychiatry and Organised Denial)