Remit of Expert Working Group into SSRI ......note review was not exclusive to SEROXAT

The remit of the EWG, which was agreed at its first meeting of 23 May 2003, was as

follows:




• To consider the currently available evidence with regard to behavioural disorders,
particularly suicidal behaviour, suicide attempt and suicide and a possible causal
association with SSRIs;

• To consider the currently available evidence on withdrawal reactions and possible
dependence associated with SSRIs and any implications for the risk:benefit balance;

• To consider the adequacy of the current product information for SSRIs and to make
proposals to strengthen this if necessary;

• To consider the need for wider communication on the safety of SSRIs;

• To advise the Committee on Safety of Medicines of their conclusions.



Members of the EWG are listed in section 1.5 and include members with specialist
expertise in psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, epidemiology and statistics, as
well as lay representation. The EWG met 17 times over the period May 2003 to

November 2004.     source - http://www.mhra.gov.uk/home/groups/pl-p/documents/drugsafetymessage/con019472.pdf   see page 7