Health policy
VA requires consent before prescribing antidepressants to veterans under 30
Veterans under 30 will have to sign consent forms before receiving antidepressants, with documented discussions of risks and benefits, according to the reports.
The Department of Veterans Affairs will require younger veterans to sign consent forms before receiving antidepressants, according to MedPage Today and The New York Times. MedPage Today reported that the policy also requires documented discussions of antidepressant risks and benefits before a prescription is issued. The Times described the covered veterans as those under 30 and its headline characterized the rules as applying to some psychiatric drugs.
The Times reported that medical groups fear the requirements may stigmatize mental health treatment. Both reports describe a consent requirement tied to antidepressant prescriptions for younger veterans. MedPage Today said discussions of risks and benefits must be documented, while the Times snippet says veterans under 30 will have to sign forms before being given antidepressants.
