Explanatory Note: Antidepressants:
The newer antidepressants, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) emerged in the late 1980s/1990s, marketed as being capable of selectively targeting a chemical- serotonin – in the brain that was theorized to influence depression. This has remained a theory only.
Serotonin (of which about only 5% is found in the brain) is one of the chemicals by which brain cells signal each other. SSRIs prevent serotonin from being naturally reabsorbed and thus create continued stimulation of cells.
Norepinephrine is a hormone secreted by the adrenal gland that increases blood pressure and rate and depth of breathing, raises the level of blood sugar, and decreases the activity of the intestines. Norepinephrine is very similar to its cousin, adrenaline.
Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) boost levels of norepinephrine in addition to serotonin. There is another SNRI, which is called Selective Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors, and is largely prescribed for “ADHD” but carries the same suicide warning as SSRI and antidepressants.
Norepinephrine-Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitors (NDRIs) are said to influence norepinephrine and dopamine, another chemical messenger that is similar to adrenaline.
*Akathisia: A, meaning “without” and kathisia, meaning “sitting,” an inability to keep still. Patients pace about uncontrollably. The side effect has been linked to assaultive, violent behaviour. Robert Whitaker, Mad in America: Bad Science, Bad Medicine, and the Enduring Mistreatment of the Mentally Ill, (Perseus Publishing, New York, 2002), pp. 182, 186.
*Neuroleptic malignant syndrome: A potentially fatal toxic reaction where patients break into fevers and become confused, agitated and extremely rigid. An estimated 100,000 Americans have died from it after taking the older antipsychotics. Robert Whitaker, op. cit., p. 208.
*Tardive Dyskinesia: Tardive, meaning “late” and dyskinesia meaning, “abnormal movement of muscles.” Tardive Dyskinesia is a permanent impairment of the power of voluntary movement of the lips, tongue, jaw, fingers, toes and other body parts. George Crane, “Tardive Dyskinesia in Patients Treated with Major Neuroleptics: A Review of the Literature,” American Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 124, Supplement, 1968, pp. 40-47.
There are no physical tests or scientific evidence to substantiate the theory that a chemical imbalance in the brain causes depression or any mental disorder.
Warnings & Studies
Note: The following list relates mostly to British Commonwealth and European drug alerts and studies and does not take into consideration the over 280 drug alerts and studies worldwide.
1997: Candace B. Pert, Research Professor at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and credited as one of the researchers that helped develop Prozac, wrote that SSRIs “may also cause cardiovascular problems in some susceptible people after long-term use, which has become common practice despite the lack of safety studies.” In 2002, she added, “They are supposed to help but they actually cause violence. There’s scientific literature that supports that.” Dr. Candace B. Pert, Letter to the Editor, TIME Magazine, 20 Oct. 1997, p. 8.
September 1997: Britain removed Cylert [pemoline] from the market after reports of death related to liver toxicity in people taking it. Cylert posed a threat of serious liver complications, including liver failure resulting in death or liver transplantation. Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, Teens – 2004, Partnership for a Drug-Free America, 21 Apr. 2005, p. 7; “Cylert recall
2001: A British study reported an “increase in hostility and aggression may be reported by patients taking benzodiazepines. The effects range from talkativeness and excitement to aggressive and antisocial acts.” Benzo.org.uk, citing British National Formulary, 2001.
February 2001: British professor C. Heather Ashton reported cases of baby-battering, wife-beating and “grandmother-bashing” could be attributed to people taking benzodiazepines. Benzo.org.uk, citing Professor C. Heather Ashton, Benzodiazepines: How They Work and How To Withdraw, Feb. 2001.
2004: The British Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA, similar to the FDA) issued guidelines that children should not be given most SSRIs because clinical trial data showed an increased rate of harmful outcomes, including hostility. “Antidepressant aggression concern,” BBC News Online, 21 Sept. 2004.
October 15, 2004: The FDA ordered pharmaceutical companies to add a “black box” warning to all antidepressants because the drugs could cause suicidal thoughts and actions in children and teenagers. The agency also directed the manufacturers to print and distribute medication guides with every antidepressant prescription and to inform patients of the risks. “Suicidality in Children and Adolescents Being Treated With Antidepressant Medications,” FDA Public Health Advisory, 15 Oct. 2004.
October 21, 2004: The New Zealand Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee recommended that old and new antidepressants not be administered to patients less than 18 years of age because of the potential risk of suicide. “New advice on prescribing anti-depressants,” New Zealand Ministry of Health Media Release, 21 Oct. 2004.
December 2004: The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration said children and adolescents prescribed SSRI antidepressants should be carefully monitored for the emergence of suicidal ideation. In a study involving Prozac, it said, there was an increase in adverse psychiatric events (acts and thoughts of suicide, self-harm, aggression and violence). “Use of SSRI antidepressants in children and adolescents,” Australian Adverse Drug Reactions Bulletin, Vol. 23, No. 6, Dec. 2004.
December 9, 2004: The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, representing 25 European countries, recommended that product information should be changed for antidepressants (including SSRIs, SNRIs) to warn of the risk of suicide-related behaviour in children and adolescents and of withdrawal reactions when stopping treatment. This was reaffirmed in April 2005, warning that the drugs increased suicide-related behaviour and hostility in young people. “European Medicines Agency finalises review of antidepressants in children and adolescents,” European Medicines Agency Press Release, 25 Apr. 2005.
February 18, 2005: A study published in the British Medical Journal determined that adults taking SSRI antidepressants were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide as patients given a placebo (a substance with no real effect; it contains no active ingredients and is given to a patient in a clinical trial to assess and compare the performance of a new drug). Sarah Boseley, “Suicide fear from antidepressants,” The Guardian (London), 18 Feb. 2005.
March 2005: The UK government’s House of Commons (Parliament) Health Committee released findings of its inquiry into benzodiazepines and reported the side effects “are now known to include excessive sedation, decreased attention, amnesia and sometimes intractable dependence. Abrupt cessation can lead to severe withdrawal symptoms, including convulsions in some patients. Short-term treatment and a long tapering period are now recommended to limit these risks.” “The Influence on the Pharmaceutical Industry,” House of Commons, UK, Health Committee, Vol. 1, Mar. 2005. p. 65.
July 16, 2005: The British Medical Journal published a study, “Efficacy of antidepressants in adults,” by Joanna Moncrieff, senior lecturer in psychiatry at University College London who found that antidepressants, especially SSRIs, were no more effective than placebo and did not reduce depression. In a media interview, Dr. Moncrieff stated, “The bottom line is that we really don’t have any good evidence that these drugs work.” Joanna Moncrieff and Irving Kirsch, “Efficacy of Antidepressants in Adults,” British Medical Journal, Vol. 331, 16 July 2005, pp. 155-157.
August 2005: The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration found a relationship between SSRIs and suicidality, akathisia (severe restlessness), agitation, nervousness and anxiety in adults. It also determined that similar symptoms could occur during withdrawal from the drugs. “Suicidality with SSRIs: adults and children,” Australian Adverse Drug Reactions Bulletin, Vol. 24, No. 4, Aug. 2005.
August 19, 2005: The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use issued its strongest warning against child SSRI antidepressant use, stating that the drugs caused suicide attempts and thoughts, aggression, hostility, oppositional behaviour and anger. “Annex II,” Commission Decision of 19-VIII-2005, Commission of the European Communities, 19 Aug. 2005.
August 22, 2005: Norwegian researchers determined that patients taking SSRI antidepressants were seven times more likely to experience suicide than those taking placebo. Ivar Aursnes, et al., “Suicide Attempts in Clinical Trials with Paroxetine Randomised Against Placebo,” BMC Medicine, Vol. 3, pp. 14-18.
September 28, 2005: The British National Health Service’s Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence warned that “all antidepressant drugs have significant risks when given to children and young people.” “Depression in Children and Young People,” National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, Sept. 2005, pp. 16, 18 and 28.
May 12, 2006: GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturer of Paxil, wrote to doctors warning that Paxil increased the risk of suicide in adults. Benedict Carey and Gardiner Harris, “Antidepressant May Raise Suicide Risk,” The New York Times, 12 May 2006.
December 14, 2007: The British Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in conjunction with the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) published a warning that stated: “Doctors are already aware of the risk of using Champix [varenicline in the UK – a benzodiazepine-based drug, promoted for smoking cessation] in patients who have an underlying mental illness. They also need to be aware of the possibility that patients who are trying to stop smoking can develop symptoms of depression, and they should advise their patients accordingly. Patients who are taking Champix and develop suicidal thoughts should stop their treatment and contact their doctor immediately.” “Europe-wide review recommends updates to product information for varenicline (brand name Champix),” MHRA, 14 Dec. 2008.
January 2008: The Pharmacovigilance Working Party (advises on the safety and adverse reactions of medicinal products authorized for use in the European Union) recommended an update to product labelling and all antidepressant patient information leaflets to warn about the increased risk of suicide in children and young adults taking them. “Antidepressants and suicidal thoughts and behaviour,” Pharmacovigilance Working Party, Jan. 2008.
January 5, 2008: The Lancet (Britain) published a study where the authors concluded: “that the routine prescription of antipsychotic drugs early in the management of aggressive challenging behaviour, even in low doses, should no longer be regarded as a satisfactory form of care.” – Peter Tyrer, et al., “Risperidone, haloperidol, and placebo in the treatment of aggressive challenging behaviour in patients with intellectual disability: a randomized controlled trial,” The Lancet, Vol. 371, 5 Jan. 2008.
January 22, 2008: The Annals of Pharmacotherapy published a study on the risk of cerebrovascular (of or relating to the brain and the blood vessels that supply it) events (CVE) associated with antidepressant use and found that a “24% increased risk of a CVE was noted in patients with current exposure to selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors 34% increased risk for current exposure to tricyclic antidepressants (older form of antidepressant) and 43% increased risk for current exposure to other antidepressants.”48 Yan Chen, et al., “Risk of Cerebrovascular Events [CVE] Associated with Antidepressant Use in Patients with Depression: A Population-Bases, Nested Case-Control Study,” The Annals of Pharmacotherapy, Vol. 42, No. 2, pp. 177-184, 22 Jan. 2008
February 5, 2008: Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency advised that antidepressant manufacturers would be required to update warnings about suicidal thoughts and behaviour to align with EU agreements, as noted above in January 2008.49 “Implementation of warnings on suicidal thoughts and behaviour in antidepressants,” MHRA, 5 February 2008.
February 28, 2008 – “Prozac, used by 40m people, does not work say scientists”
Analysis of unseen trials and other data concludes it is no better than placebo – http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/feb/26/mentalhealth.medicalresearch
June 1, 2010: Canada’s University of Montreal’s Research Unit looked at 5124 pregnant women who had miscarried up to 20 weeks of gestation and those who had not. Of those who miscarried, 284 (5.5 per cent) had taken antidepressants during pregnancy. SSRIs, especially Seroxat (paroxetine) and also Effexor (venlafaxine) were associated with increased risk of miscarriage as were higher daily doses of either antidepressant. They confirmed a combination of different antidepressants doubled the risk of miscarriages. The risk of miscarriage was almost identical to another study with 937 women published in 2009. — Dr. Anick Berard, director of the University of Montreal’s Research Unit on Medications and Pregnancy at University Hospital Center Sainte-Justine used information from the Quebec Pregnancy Registry to identify 5,124 women who had spontaneous abortions between 1998 and 2003 – Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1283053/Antidepressants-increase-risk-miscarriage-new-study-warns.html#ixzz0phcQaQvP