EMEA denies "suicide rating for all drugs" claim

The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has denied UK media reports that a suicide rating could be awarded to all drugs licensed in the European Union. The Times had implied that the agency is proposing to make a suicidality questionnaire mandatory for all clinical trials. An EMEA spokesperson told the Marketletter that the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating, developed in the USA, "is a validated scale which can be used to assess suicidality formally in clinical trials." However, she added that need for such a tool is decided on a case-by-case basis. Six drugs were highlighted by The Times for links to depression: Acomplia (rimonabant); Dianette (cyproterone acetate and ethinylestradiol); Strattera (atomoxetine HCl); interferon alfa; Roaccutane (isotretinoin); and Zarontin (ethosuximide).