Are We Prescribing Antidepressants Wrong?

IS THERE A RIGHT WAY? –

Dec. 21. 2021 – That’s not to say we shouldn’t use antidepressants at all – in many instances, they save lives and work well.

But the authors of the new review, which appears in the British Medical Journal’s Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, suggest doctors should prescribe fewer antidepressants for shorter periods of time, and focus on people with severe depression.

In other cases, the evidence is unclear on how effective the drugs really are – and whether the benefits outweigh the side effects.

“There continues to be considerable uncertainty about the benefits of antidepressant use in the short- and long-term, particularly in regard to the lack of a clinically significant difference between antidepressant and placebo treatment,” explain the authors, psychiatrist Mark Horowitz from University College London and pharmacist Michael Wilcock from Royal Cornwall Hospital.

“In light of this uncertain balance of benefits and harms, we should re-visit the widespread – and growing – prescription of antidepressants.”

One of the big issues highlighted by the review is that most clinical trials only look at the efficacy of the drugs over a six- to 12-week study period. In the real world, however, people are prescribed antidepressants for years.