Introduction
Psychotropic drugs are responsible for treating disorders related to psychiatric. Examples of these drugs are antipsychotics, antidepressants and stimulants, which for the past two decades have been on the rise. The authenticity of psychotropic drugs is that the treatment moderates cognitive, emotional and behavioral symptoms, though this is not the only treatment available (Barczyk et al., 2020). Pharmacotherapy management requires some skills, but the patient’s characteristics and conditions are the ultimate determinants for treatment expertise. Most conditions require straightforward controlling, also referred to as first-line supervision. However, more effective skills will only be employed in the first-line treatment is poorly tolerated or ineffective (Hazell, 2018). It is from such perception that children found themselves in the hands of inadequate first-line treatment that lands them in overmedication for their conditions. Psychotropic drug over-medication is a reality and affects the majority of children in the U.S, as a result, there is a need for a solution considering various factors, including economic concerns, which are propellants to this issue.
The Rise of Psychotropic Medication among Children
There is an admittance of the rise of psychotropic medications among kids. Up to 8 million minors in the United States, use either one or more psychotropic drugs (Barnett & Zayas, 2019). The more vulnerable and most affected are those exposed to traumatic conditions (Barnett & Zayas, 2019). The treatment service for these youngsters is through interventions more concentrated on psychosocial involvements but are over-treated with psychotropic medications (Barnett & Zayas, 2019). The mental health field is created to manage psychotropic medicines for adults; however, due to some issues, the facilities are misused for adolescents and children. As a result, the action causes ethical issues to family and marriage therapies, forcing them to be cautious about handling the medication through managing children’s psychosocial disorders.
The examples of children’s psychosocial malady are bipolar and deficit hyperactivity. These illnesses have been on the rise in the current society for the past decade (Hazell, 2018). The specific drugs manufactured for the sake of treating the above two disorders show a facet of short-term risk ratios. Nonetheless, the drug exhibits an element of poor long-term benefit because of overdoing the suppository (Hazell, 2018). One reason for the overuse, according to Hazell (2018) is that the pharmaceutical companies have persuaded people in thinking that the drugs are safe for children. Much worse, the parents are convinced of the need to input their children into the way of destruction, through over employment of the drugs. The overuse of the drugs is because of the deluded reasoning of the parents, which makes them consent to the unproved pharmaceutical fib about the safety of the drugs. The parents of bipolar minors and those with deficit hyperactivity are the most vulnerable in exposing their children in this regard.
The Economy as a Contributing Factor
The economic influence has controlled pharmaceutical industries to prioritize the need to make profits than ensure the safety of teenagers. The need to receive high income is a permit to produce more drugs despite the risks. These industries contribute to the country’s economy making institutions such as Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be lenient enough to submit to the powers and the influence of the market (Barnett & Zayas, 2019). In the years 1994 to 2001, the prescription of psychotropic medication to adolescents rose past the sixty percent mark (Barnett & Zayas, 2019). The increase in the use of this remedy, which became evident in post-1999, was linked to the marketing controls and development of various new psychotropic medicines. Since then, the market environment has proved appealing to manufacturing industries. Instead of adhering to manufacturing alone, rebranding and reintroducing some medications to the market for the sake of finding ways to make profits as far as possible became a reality. Considering that the market issues have never relented from affecting the industry, the production of the drug remains high and much worse, the conception of the same has increased, with the upsurge in population.
The consequence of Psychotropic over Medication
When children are exposed to this psychotropic medication, they start having negative consequences. Unfortunately, the health professions are the most affected in terms of battling the long-term implications of this action. For instance, the majority are left with the responsibility of evaluating the evidence-based quality, which can be a challenging presage. The physicians then strive to offer the best to their patients, in terms of managing the adverse effects of the medications. Unfortunately, there is a lack of proper empirical evidence to provide them with needed guidance. It is, thus, confirmed that the aspects of over psychotropic medication are real in contemporary society; therefore, there is a need for a solution to control the action.
Proposed Solution
The aspects of off-label need revisiting to help guarantee a safer community today. Engaging in off-label means using any given medication without explicit approval from agencies such as the FDA (Barnett & Zayas, 2019). The adherence to off-label to medicate adolescents and children means that such medication is inappropriate and unsafe. If the only available prescription method is off-label, then the action should transpire clinically. The food and Drug Administration needs to stop approving psychotropic endorsement, especially in the context where there is no clear empiric evidence (Jung, 2020). It means the implementation of off-label issues should be through supporting evidence that assesses efficacy and safety measures.
The FDA approval process should offer an additional clarification to include legally binding agreements on the entire drug’s prescription process. This means the pharmaceutical business as well needs to comply with the demands and directions of the industry’s issues related to marketing, manufacturing and the sale of this medication. The approval needs to center on the children’s whereabouts, particularly on the effects of psychotropic medications, with varied approachability to adults. Such will outline Barnett and Zayas’ (2019) referral of the Children Act. Enacted in 2002, the law offers pharmaceutical industries the guidelines for studying the drugs concerning children’s needs before the manufacturing process. The manufacturing processes of the suppository, therefore, should adhere to 2002’s enactment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the overmedication of children with psychotropic drugs is real and evident in the current society. Defects on the growth of children in the United States are on the rise. The increment occurs due to the poor usability of these remedies, and the effects are dire. The pharmaceutical manufacturing standards are encouraged, then the economic aspects are supporting the production and use of these medications. Despite the importance of the prescription for those children who are affected with antipsychotics, antidepressants and stimulants, there is a need to ensure control of the consumption of the treatments. The incident demands proper regulation of the production and administration of the remedies, under the cover or direction of the FDA agency. The use of the Act which fights for the wellbeing of the children in this regard is as well essential, as the action will bring about a coalition between the manufacturers and the quality control team.
References
Barczyk, Z. A., Rucklidge, J. J., Eggleston, M., & Mulder, R. (2020). Psychotropic medication prescription rates and trends for New Zealand children and adolescents 2008–2016. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 30(2), 21-65.
Barnett, E. R., & Zayas, M. T. C. (2019). High-risk psychotropic medications for US children with trauma sequelae. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 28(4), 360-364.
Hazell, P. (2018). Use of psychotropic medications in general pediatric practice. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 54(10), 1073-1076.
Jung, H. (2020). Children, teens, and the safety of psychotropic medicines. Harvard Health Publishing.