September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Putting suicide in the spotlight is intended to help the public identify and support people in their lives who might be at risk for suicide. The hope is that knowing more about risks will help prevent tragedy.

In 2004, I testified at FDA hearings, along with many other scientists, about a possible link between antidepressant medications and the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. At the time, the idea was unthinkable. How could something labeled “antidepressant” cause suicidal behavior? But the data were clear and the risk was real. The drugmakers themselves had submitted the results from randomized controlled trials involving thousands of patients.

Here’s what the trials revealed . About 4 percent of randomly assigned patients who to

See Full Page