The FDA and ABCs: The Unintended Consequences of Antidepressant Warnings on Human Capital

Susan Busch, Ezra Golberstein and Ellen Meara

No 17426, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Using annual cross-sectional data on over 100,000 adolescents aged 12-17, we studied academic and behavioral outcomes among those who were and were not likely affected by FDA warnings regarding the safety of antidepressants. Just before the FDA warnings, adolescents with probable depression had grade point averages 0.14 points higher than adolescents with depression just after the warnings. The FDA warnings also coincided with increased delinquency, use of tobacco and illicit drugs. Together, our results stress the importance of mental health and its treatment as an input into cognitive and non-cognitive aspects of human capital.

JEL-codes: I12 J18 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea and nep-neu
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Published as Susan H. Busch & Ezra Golberstein & Ellen Meara, 2014. "The FDA and ABCs," Journal of Human Resources, vol 49(3), pages 540-571.

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