National suicide rates 1961-2003: further analysis of nordic data for suicide, autopsies and ill-defined death rates.

Background: Concerns about the risk-benefit ratio of treatment with antidepressants in the light of recent evidence pointing to a risk of suicide induction during the course of treatment with antidepressants. These concerns have led to a series of recent studies exploring national rates of suicide and correlating these with data on antidepressant consumption. Methods: We have compared suicide rates in the Nordic countries with autopsy and ill-defined death rates, and antidepressant sales, during the period 1961 through to 2003. Results: There is a close correlation between suicide rates and both autopsy and ill-defined death rates. Conclusions: The role of autopsies and other factors in the registration of a death as a suicide appear to need further clarification.