Reporting On The Benefit Of Antidepressants , UK

Main Category: Depression
Also Included In: Multiple Sclerosis;  Mental Health
Article Date: 29 Feb 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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In the last few days there has been widespread media coverage questioning the effect of antidepressant drugs, following the results of a study published in the journal Public Library of Science Medicine.

The study suggested that some antidepressant drugs performed no better than dummy or placebo pills used in trials dating back to the 1980s.

Professor Irving Kirsch from the department of psychology at Hull University and colleagues in the US and Canada obtained complete and previously unpublished data for trials submitted to the licensing authority in the United States under freedom of information rules and, when the data was amalgamated, they found that the effect of the drugs was a placebo effect.

Dr Lee Dunster, head of Research and Information at the MS Society, said: "The MS Society is concerned by the suggestion that some antidepressant drugs may give little if any benefit to people with MS and we would urge people to contact their GP before considering stopping their medication.

"Depression is a major problem for people with MS and we hope the Government's promise to fund more psychological therapists will lead to more appropriate treatment for people with MS."

Read BBC News online coverage of the story.

Multiple Sclerosis Society