FDA ISSUES ALERTS ON ANTIDEPRESSANT AND MIGRAINE DRUGS

The FDA has asked makersof antidepressants tomodify their labels toinclude data about a rarebut life-threatening lungproblem—persistent pulmonary hypertension—that can affect babies born towomen who take the drugs while pregnant.The agency also issued an alertabout the potential risk of combining antidepressantswith common migrainedrugs. The alert warns that a life-threateningcondition called serotonin syndromemay occur when the drugs are combined.

The FDA is investigating additionalinformation on both risks and will issuefurther updates on the drugs' labels asinformation becomes available. "It isimportant to emphasize that the FDArecommends that women who areexpecting and currently taking antidepressantsshould not discontinue usewithout first talking with a doctor," saidSusan Bro, an FDA spokeswoman.