SENATE MEMORIAL 9

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2008

INTRODUCED BY

Joseph J. Carraro

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THAT THE NEW MEXICO HEALTH POLICY COMMISSION CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY POSSIBLE CORRELATIONS BETWEEN ANTIDEPRESSANTS AND SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS AND TO RECOMMEND SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS ANY CORRELATION.

     WHEREAS, the federal food and drug administration issued a public warning in October 2004 about an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors in children and adolescents treated with a class of antidepressant medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; and

     WHEREAS, in 2006, an advisory committee to the federal food and drug administration recommended that the federal food and drug administration issue a public warning about an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors in young adults up to the age of twenty-five who are taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; and 

     WHEREAS, in September 2007, a study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, found that there is not a positive correlation between antidepressants and suicidal thoughts or behaviors in young people; and

     WHEREAS, studies and professional organizations disagree as to whether the prescription of antidepressant medications should be further regulated or further protocols developed to guard against suicidal thoughts or behaviors among young people; and

     WHEREAS, according to the treatment for adolescents with depression study, funded by the national institute of mental health, a combination of medication and psychotherapy is the most effective treatment for adolescents with depression; and

     WHEREAS, the federal food and drug administration has issued guidelines stating that individuals who take antidepressants must be carefully monitored for worsening depression, suicidal thoughts or suicidal behaviors; and

     WHEREAS, on the basis that some physicians are inadequately monitoring or are unaware of the risks that antidepressants may pose for young people, the state of California has considered legislation that would require all family practice physicians who treat depression by prescribing antidepressants to undergo mandatory continuing medical education on the subject of antidepressant medications;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico health policy commission be requested to convene a task force comprising experts from the human services department and the department of health; medical and behavioral health providers; and other health care and health policy experts to investigate whether there is a correlation between antidepressant drugs and suicidal thoughts and behaviors and to recommend policy solutions to address the correlation, if it exists; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to examine whether providers who prescribe antidepressants should be required to undergo mandatory continuing medical education on the subject of antidepressant medications in order to provide expertise in monitoring the risks that may be associated with antidepressants in young people; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to examine whether providers should be allowed to prescribe antidepressants to patients only in combination with concurrent psychotherapy; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to examine in particular whether the scope of providers permitted to prescribe psychotropic drugs should be narrowed to include only persons specialized in the practice of psychiatry, psychiatric nurse practitioners and psychiatric physician assistants; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the New Mexico health policy commission.

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