There’s been a lot of bad press around antidepressants this week (A new study links some to an increased risk of dementia, as well as weight gain. However, we’ve known about those potential side effects for awhile).
But for many, antidepressants are absolutely necessary for getting through the day.
So I’m re-upping this massive study from February 2018, which took 6 years, and included all published and unpublished data on the issue.
The Guardian, writing on it.
Professor Carmine Pariante, spokesperson for the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said the analysis “finally puts to bed the controversy on antidepressants, clearly showing that these drugs do work in lifting mood and helping most people with depression. Importantly, the paper analyses unpublished data held by pharmaceutical companies, and shows that the funding of studies by these companies does not influence the result, thus confirming that the clinical usefulness of these drugs is not affected by pharma-sponsored spin.”
Dr James Warner, reader in psychiatry at Imperial College London, said: “This rigorous study confirms that antidepressants have an important place in the treatment of depression. Depression causes misery to countless thousands every year and this study adds to the existing evidence that effective treatments are available.”
…. the doctors, noting that just one in six people receive proper treatment in the rich world – and one in 27 in the developing world.
If cancer or heart patients suffered this level of under-treatment, there would be a public outcry, they say.
Above, the study (hat tip: The Guardian] includes a helpful table of results among antidepressants. As always, talk to your doctor.
