Clinical trials question the use of antidepressants
According to findings from a review of clinical trials, anti-depressants “worked no better than a dummy pill for mildly depressed patients and for most people suffering severe depression”. Researchers looked at four commonly-prescribed anti-depressants in the UK including fluoxetine (Prozac), venlafaxine (Efexor) and paroxetine (Seroxat). Professor Kirsch (from the Department of Psychology at the University of Hull) said: “The difference in improvement between patients taking placebos and patients taking antidepressants is not very great”.
Researchers reported little evidence of benefit when analysing both unpublished and published data from the drug companies. They concluded: “We find that the overall effect of new generation antidepressant medications is below recommended criteria for clinical significance.”
A spokesman for GlaxoSmith Kline (which makes Seroxat said): “The authors have failed to acknowledge the very positive benefits these treatments have provided to patients and their families dealing with depression and their conclusions are at odds with what has been seen in actual clinical practice.”
Dr Hilary Jones (from popular TV programme GMTV) said “The best treatment for depression is always likely to be a combination of drugs and talking therapies.”