The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-06-27.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, further to the review of clinical trial evidence Comparative efficacy and tolerability of antidepressants for major depressive disorder in children and adolescents: a network meta-analysis published in the Lancet on 8 June, they intend to review clinical guidelines for the prescription of anti-depressant medication for the treatment of major depression in young people.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has advised that it regularly reviews published guidelines as a matter of good practice to check whether an update is warranted.

NICE is tracking a clinical trial that is anticipated may have significant impact on the recommendations in its guideline on depression in children and young people: identification and management (CG28). A copy of this guideline is attached. NICE is co-ordinating the next review of this guideline to coincide with the publication of the outcomes of the trial, which is expected in February 2017. The Lancet paper will be considered as part of that review.