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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday October 18, 2008 - 5 Local politicians lending their support Continued from page 3 similar in nature, I can see that there would be some public good in this." Flynn is not the only politician trying to help the Carlins. Newly-elected Oakville MP Terence Young is also trying to bring about an inquest. Young's daughter Vanessa died after taking a prescription drug in 2000 and he was successful in getting an inquest into her death that resulted in a coroner's jury making 59 recommendations on how to prevent similar deaths in the future. Young wants the same for the Carlins, but notes that it will be difficult. "I think it (Vanessa's inquest) only happened because I'd been an MPP and there were cabinet ministers at Vanessa's funeral," said Young. Neil and Rhonda said they first began to suspect the drug was not right for their daughter when they noticed changes in her behaviour just after she started taking it. They said Sara shifted from being someone who was quite disciplined to someone who did not care. This level apathy got to the point where Sara quit her hockey team and lost her job as the assistant to a local optometrist -- two things that were important to her. Suspicion about the drug turned to anger following Sara's death when Neil read two Health Canada advisories stating that Paxil "It is very important that patients do not stop taking paroxetine without first consulting with their doctor." Peter Schram, GlaxoSmithKline Sara Carlin should not be given to children or adolescents under the age of 18 due to a possible increased risk of suicidal events. Sara was 17 when she was first prescribed Paxil. The 2003 advisory further noted that in pediatric clinical trials into major depressive disorder, patients treated with Paxil showed an increased rate of suicidal thinking, suicide attempts and self-harm when compared to those taking placebos. Health Canada spokesperson, Alastair Sinclair, noted that Health Canada uses a variety of methods with which to get its advisories out to health care professionals. These include the mailing or faxing of advisories directly to doctors, sending advisories to relevant professional associations to encourage the posting of the information on websites and in journals and newsletters. The advisories are also posted on the MedEffect Canada website. Given what happened to Sara, Neil believes it is necessary to go one step further and create a law that would require drug companies to hand doctors the latest warnings on the drugs they deliver. In response to queries from The Oakville Beaver, Peter Schram, of Corporate Communications, GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturer of Paxil, issued this statement: "Any suicide is tragic and the greatest risk for suicide is untreated depression. Paroxetine has been used by tens of millions of patients and has been proven to be a safe and effective treatment since its launch more than 15 years ago. The label contains instructions regarding the use of paroxetine and important safety information about the product." If patients have questions regarding the use of paroxetine, or the management of their depression, they should contact their health care professional. "Also, it is very important that patients do not stop taking paroxetine without first consulting with their doctor." The Carlins also hope an inquest will change how a teen can be prescribed such a potentially dangerous drug without first involving the parents. Currently, medical treatment in Ontario does not require parental consent unless the patient is found to be incapable of making his or her own informed decision. The Health Care Consent Act does not list any particular age the person has to be as a prerequisite for consenting to medical treatment. Therefore, if a doctor believes a teen has the ability to understand the consequences of a decision for medical treatment no parental See Parents page 7 www.oakvillebeaver.com ARE YOU UNHAPPY WITH YOUR SMILE!? Everyone you talk to agrees that a great smile is truly one of your best social assets. You've even heard people say it, "She has such beautiful teeth. When she smiles, it really lights up the room." Now, wouldn't you like that said about your smile? Dr. Stephen Phelan has just released a new SPECIAL REPORT called, "How to get the smile you deserve that literally lights up a room." If you would like a copy of this exciting report as well as a copy of Dr. Phelan's beautiful new PORCELAIN VENEER PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNAL mailed to you for FREE, call our office at 905-827-1619. You can also go to our website at smiletoremember.com and see examples of smile makeovers created by Dr. Stephen Phelan. Actual Patient Treatments by Dr. Stephen Phelan Dental Surgeon. Laser, Family & Cosmetic Dentistry 1500 Heritage Way, Oakville, ON L6M 3H4 call 905.827.1619 to arrange an appointment Creating sensational smiles in Oakville for 15 years.