Feb 26, 2008 6:00 pm US/Eastern
Health: Antidepressants Study
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
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Antidepressants Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil
CBS/The Early Show
In health, millions of people take antidepressants to regulate their moods. Now, a study says they may not work and Medical Reporter Stephanie Stahl has more details.
This new research is a review of 35 short term studies, covering more 5,000 patients. The researchers found some antidepressants have little medical value for the majority of patients.
Antidepressant medications are popular, especially the newer generation pills like Prozac, Effexor, and Paxil. But new research published in the journal Public Library of Science Medicine says they appear to help only severely depressed people, and for some people work no better than placebos.
"There are certainly a lot of patients these medicines don't seem to help very much in the clinical setting. There's another whole population though the medicines do seem to help and they help a great deal," said Dr. Brendan Greer, a psychiatrist at Council For Relationships.
He prescribes the medications to his patients and often sees clear benefits.
"They increase brain levels of the chemical serotonin which is thought to then affect the parts of the brain that seem to determine our mood," said Dr. Greer.
Researchers found the antidepressants did not significantly improve depression in patients with moderate symptoms, in fact people on placebo got the same benefit. Those with the most severe symptoms appeared to gain a more clear cut benefit.
"I would hate to see a study like this scaring away people from treatment for a disorder like depression which is already under-diagnosed and under-treated," said Dr. Greer.
A spokesperson for the FDA says the medications approved are safe and effective. Doctors say patients shouldn't stop taking their medication without first speaking with their physician.
RELATED LINKS:
Antidepressant Study
Antidepressant Information
Council For Relationships
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