Sep 24, 2008 11:10 pm US/Eastern
I-Team: Families Say Singulair Changed Their Kids
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
It has helped millions of children breathe easier. The popular prescription drug Singulair is used to treat asthma and seasonal allergies. But the WBZ I-Team found out that some patients say they're suffering horrible side effects from the drug. Some parents even believe
Singulair can lead to suicide.
Matthew Cook, 6, and 14-year-old Matt Farrone have never met, but they share a horrifying experience. "I just didn't want to be alive anymore, (I) wish I wasn't born" he said.
Matt Cook's mom says her son felt the same way. "He just threw himself on the floor and said 'I want to die, I just want to die'," she recalled.
Their parents say almost out of nowhere both boys became severely anxious and depressed.
Detect Signs Of Depression In Your ChildFor Matt Farrone, it was so bad; he missed three years of school. "He was afraid to leave the house, he was afraid to go to school, he was afraid to leave me," explained his mom, Lynn Farrone.
Matthew Cook threatened to kill his brother and sister. "It really tore us (our family) apart," said Matthew's mother.
The boys had something else in common; they both took Singulair for asthma.
Discussion Board: People Experiencing Problems With Singulair
Merck, the drugs manufacturer, recently added depression and suicidal thoughts to the list of side effects, but their parents say doctors never warned them something like this could happen. "They sent me to a psychiatrist, they sent us to a sleep clinic, but they never said, don't take Singulair," said Lynn Farrone.
Both families eventually suspected that Singulair might be causing these mood swings and took their boys off the drug. Lynn Farrone noticed a change almost immediately. "Within three days I knew he was coming back," she said.
The Cooks had a similar experience. "After about a week, we noticed a complete turnaround in his behavior," said Matt's dad.
As disturbing as their stories are, the Cooks and the Farrones know how lucky they are, their boys are happy and healthy.
That's not the case for Kate Miller. Her son was 15 when he started Singulair last summer. He too became depressed. "He said, I don't know why I feel this way, he was just so anxious," said Miller describing a conversation she had with her son less than two weeks after he started taking the drug.
Later that day, Cody hanged himself in his room. Miller is convinced Singulair is to blame. "I should have been told there was a risk of depression, a risk of anxiety," she said. "Cody didn't have to die."
In a statement, a Merck spokesman told the I-Team that "Merck is committed to patient safety, and has acted responsibly to give doctors and patients information to help them make informed decisions about their treatment choices."
Back in March, the FDA announced it was conducting an investigation into the possible link between Singulair and suicide. The investigation was expected to take about 9 months to complete.
Dr. William Yee of Floating Hospital for Children in Boston says parents with children on Singulair should not panic. "The incidence of psychiatric and behavioral side effects is so uncommon that, as a generalization, this drug remains effective and safe," he said. Dr. Yee said if parents have any concerns they should not hesitate to talk with their doctor.
A recent study by the American Lung Association found no link between Singulair and suicide, but the families we talked to don't buy it. Jen Cook said she is 100 percent convinced Singulair was the cause of her son's problems.
None of these families want the drug pulled from the shelves; they just want doctors to talk to parents about this possible danger.
Matt Cook says he fears there are other families out there that could be suffering needlessly. "What we went through, I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy," he said.
WBZ will keep you posted on the results of that FDA investigation.
Resources To Learn More About Singulair
FDA announcement about investigation into Singulair
Patient information sheet on Singulair American Lung Association study Discussion board for people with problems from Singulair
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