New generation anti-depressants may do little

An analysis of 47 clinical trials of the new generation selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), carried out by a team from Hull University, suggests that the medication is little better than placebo. Apparently the difference in mental health between people taking the SSRIs and those taking placebo was little different, which also suggests that many people who suffer from depression will improve without medication.

The study included the results of trials that pharmaceutical companies chose not to publish because the results were either equivocal or showed no effect from SSRIs. Of those taking part in the studies two-thirds were prescribed the SSRIs, while the remainder took placebo tablets.

A comparison of the two groups showed that in the majority of cases the mental health of those taking anti-depressants improved little more than those on the placebos, and only those who were severely depressed (a very small proportion of those studied) improved substantially on the medication.

Antidepressants are taken by around two million Britons and have been linked to a host of side effects including suicide, suicidal thoughts, self harm, anxiety, insomnia, nausea, headaches and vomiting.

Experts say the findings undermined confidence in the ability to draw meaningful conclusions about the merit of drugs based on published data alone and call for drug companies to be forced to publish all their data.

See the full article here http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0050045