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This study raises several very important issues. Firstly it does not say whether those with violent offences were taking therapeutic doses of ssris. It actually says that many weren't. One could therefore conclude that undertreatment of depression is correlated with violence and that adequate ssri treatment would mitigate this occurrence.
It is well recognised that depression is associated with violence, and we only have to remember German Wings to see what can happen when it is not properly treated. To muddy the waters of antidepressant treatment in such a serious illness, is to say the least, unhelpful if not dangerous. Without solid incontrovertible data showing a definite correlation between depression ssris and violence, it behoves editors not to publish ambivalent and potentially damaging reports.
The literature is awash with biased, flawed and opaque research, some of which is done with the backing of pharma, some with the desire to publish or perish, and some from the salami effect of publishing all you can from bits of redundant data. The adage should be "publish and perish" because the spin offs of poor research costs lives and money.
SSRIs and violence.
This study raises several very important issues. Firstly it does not say whether those with violent offences were taking therapeutic doses of ssris. It actually says that many weren't. One could therefore conclude that undertreatment of depression is correlated with violence and that adequate ssri treatment would mitigate this occurrence.
It is well recognised that depression is associated with violence, and we only have to remember German Wings to see what can happen when it is not properly treated. To muddy the waters of antidepressant treatment in such a serious illness, is to say the least, unhelpful if not dangerous. Without solid incontrovertible data showing a definite correlation between depression ssris and violence, it behoves editors not to publish ambivalent and potentially damaging reports.
The literature is awash with biased, flawed and opaque research, some of which is done with the backing of pharma, some with the desire to publish or perish, and some from the salami effect of publishing all you can from bits of redundant data. The adage should be "publish and perish" because the spin offs of poor research costs lives and money.
Competing interests: No competing interests