Abstract
Background:
IMAGe provides information on risks and benefits of medication use during pregnancy
and lactation
Objective:
The aim of this study was to determine the impact of Health Canada warnings on the
number of calls received at IMAGe.
Methods:
We analyzed calls received between January 2003 and March 2008. The impact of the
following warning/withdrawal were studied: paroxetine and risk of cardiac malformations
(09/29/2005), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and risk of persistent
pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) (03/10/2006), and impact of rofecoxib
market withdrawal (09/30/2004). Interrupted auto-regressive integrated moving average
(ARIMA) analyses were used to test the impact of each warning on the number of calls
received to IMAGe.
Results:
61 505 calls were analyzed. The paroxetine warning had a temporary impact increasing
the overall number of calls to IMAGe, and an abrupt permanent effect on the number
of calls related to antidepressant exposures. The PPHN warning had no impact but we
observed a significant increase in the number of calls following rofecoxib market
withdrawal.
Conclusion:
Health Canada needs to consider the increase in the demand of information to IMAGe
following warnings on the risk of medication use during pregnancy.
Key words
antidepressants - pregnancy and lactation - drug warnings - anxiety - teratogen information
services