Suicide Prozac 05/12/2000 Alabama 14 Year Old Hangs Himself
Summary:
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/AC/04/transcripts/4006T1.doc
DR. RUDORFER: Thank you.
Could we have speaker 29, please.
Terri Williams
MS. WILLIAMS: My son, Jacob Williams, was
born on October the 15th, 1986. Jacob was an
exceptional athlete who participated in football on
both the varsity and junior varsity football teams
in his school.
In September of 2000, Jacob experienced a
loss of interest in his school activities. He
maintained his interest in football, however, there
was a conflict with his grades and his attendance.
As a result of this issue, his father and
I attended a conference at his school on October
the 11th, 2000 with various representatives from
the school. The school administrator suggested
that Jacob may be depressed and that we should seek
medical help.
I contacted Jacob's pediatrician and made
an appointment for 3:45 that afternoon. On October
the 11th, 2000, his pediatrician prescribed 10
milligrams of Prozac, which was increased to 20
milligrams three weeks later.
Shortly after starting the initial dose,
Jacob began to complain of having strange dreams,
which he had said were bad. Shortly after the
dosage was increased, I began to notice an
aggressive behavior, which had not been there
before. Jacob also became destructive and
destroyed some of his favorite things.
His friends would later tell me they had
noticed the same behavioral change. He also showed
a verbal aggression and short temper, which had not
been present before.
When questioned about this behavior, he
stated I don't know what is making me do this. At
this time, I thought this could be a part of normal
adolescent behavior and did not pursue the matter
any further.
On December the 5th, 2000, I discovered
Jacob's body hanging from the rafter in our attic.
He had hung himself with his own belt. A letter
was placed on the ladder leading up to our attic
thanking us for giving him 14 years of a happy
life.
Something had to have gone wrong in the
thinking process to have brought this about. Had I
know that this was a potential side effect,
suicide, I would have never allowed my son to take
the drug Prozac.
Thank you.