THE FDA ADMITTED TODAY THAT CAUSALITY HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BETWEEN SSRI DRUGS LIKE ZOLOFT, PAXIL AND PROZAC IN PEDIATRIC SUICIDALITY. BY A VOTE OF 15-8 THE COMBINED ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE FDA VOTED TODAY THAT THIS RISK SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN BLACK BOX WARNINGS ON THE LABELS OF THESE AND OTHER ANTIDEPRESSANTS.

Chris Pittman's attorney, Andy Vickery, said that these two developments should dramatically strengthen the boy's defense to the pending murder charges in Chester, South Carolina and expressed his hope that these developments in Washington would encourage Solicitor Giese to agree that the case should be remanded to the family court. "Chris Pittman received Zoloft on an off-label basis. The black box warning recommended today is specifically designed to discourage such off-label use. I am confident that had that warning-which is based in large part on data that was available when Pittman took the drug-been in place on November 28, 2001, then Chris would have never received Zoloft and his grandparents would still be alive."