Homicidal ideation causally related to therapeutic medications

Abstract

Five patients with hepatitis C (HCV), three of whom were treated with interferon alpha 2 (IFN) and two who were not treated with IFN, developed homicidal ideation (HI) during a four-year period. Following accepted rules for determining causation, there appeared to be a causal relatedness between IFN use and the development of homicidal ideation for those patients taking IFN. None of these patients attempted a homicidal act while on treatment with IFN, nor in the follow up period after treatment. The incidence of HI while treated with IFN in our patient population is estimated to be <1%. The ability of prescription medication to cause homicidal ideation is reviewed, and legal implications are discussed.