Kids asthma medication Singulair targeted for review

A popular children’s asthma medication has been targeted for an urgent review after it was linked to the suicide of an 18-year-old girl.

Teenager Sara Hozen took her own life in May last year after taking Singulair for three months.

Since her Australian mother went public to raise awareness dozens of families have come forward to share horror stories, including a New South Wales doctor.

 

A popular children’s asthma medication has been targeted for an urgent review after it was linked to the suicide of an 18-year-old girl (pictured)

Teenager Sara Hozen took her own life in May last year after taking Singulair for three months (stock image)

Teenager Sara Hozen took her own life in May last year after taking Singulair for three months (stock image)

Health Minister Greg Hunt will request the Therapeutic Goods Administration review potential side effect warnings, Nine News reported.

‘The Minister has asked the Therapeutic Goods Administration to conduct an urgent review and provide advice to the Government on this matter,’ a spokesperson said.

Figures from the TGA show over 200,000 prescriptions for Singulair, also known as Montelukast, were written from 2016 to 2017.

The medication is popular with children but has serious potential side effects, such suicidal thoughts, depression, nightmares and psychotic episodes in young children.

Concerned parents in a popular Facebook group have been sharing stories of their children experiencing psychotic breakdowns after taking Singulair.

Melbourne mother Vanessa Sellick has two sons who were prescribed Singulair, one of whom began having suicidal thoughts at just four years of age.

Since Sara's mother went public to raise awareness last week dozens of families have come forward to share horror stories, including a New South Wales doctor (pictured is Sara Hozen)

Since Sara’s mother went public to raise awareness last week dozens of families have come forward to share horror stories, including a New South Wales doctor (pictured is Sara Hozen)

She said Harrison, 12, started taking Singulair when he was two, and was in the bath one day when he begged her to kill him.

‘These kind of things are said again and again in the Facebook group and the similarity of the stories, it’s really haunting when you read it,’ she said. 

An anaesthetist from New South Wales said his eight-year-old daughter ‘changed before his eyes’ after taking Montelukast for asthma and allergies.

‘She lacked energy and joy, and was expressing thoughts of self-loathing and self-harm, which was extremely distressing for all of us,’ he told Nine News.

‘At times, her suggestions showed suicidal ideation. We feared for our daughter’s life at times, the safety of our other children.

Figures from the TGA show over 200,000 prescriptions for Singulair, also known as Montelukast, were written from 2016 to 2017 (stock image)

Figures from the TGA show over 200,000 prescriptions for Singulair, also known as Montelukast, were written from 2016 to 2017 (stock image)

‘The strain it put on us, our marriage, my work, and even the extended family was profound.’

The doctor spoke out after Mary Hozen went public about the suicide of her daughter Sara. 

Ms Hozen revealed Sara experienced paranoia in the lead up to her death but never told anyone the severity of her declining health.

‘I feel bad that she didn’t share it with us openly. She thought something was wrong but she didn’t portray that to us. She kept it quiet. She was trying to figure it out for herself but she couldn’t.’

Ms Hozen said there was no doubt in her mind the medication triggered Sara’s mental health issues and her ultimate suicide.

The doctor spoke out after Mary Hozen went public about the suicide of her daughter Sara (pictured)

The doctor spoke out after Mary Hozen went public about the suicide of her daughter Sara (pictured)

The drug was also linked to the death of a 15-year-old boy who had no history of mental illness.

US-born Cody Miller took his own life in 2008 after being prescribed the drug.

In Australia, doctors are required to warn parents of the side-effects before prescribing children with the drug.

The National Asthma Council of Australia urged parents not to stop their child’s medication without first speaking to their doctor, because untreated asthma could be life-threatening.

A spokeswoman for Singulair told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday it was working closely with the government. 

‘In the ongoing review of the safety profile of montelukast, MSD has not identified any additional safety information in relation to neuropsychiatric adverse events to communicate to prescribers or patients,’ she said. 

‘MSD is committed to working with government to provide relevant information about montelukast and its side effects.’ 

 



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