I see that Professor Reid and Dr Spence have some history of debating. The responses in last year’s BMJ between these two men on ‘Bad medicine: bipolar II disorder’ are interesting in itself, if a tad lighthearted ; http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d2767?page=1&tab=responses
I do hope, considering the importance of the topic, that academic integrity outweighs the slightly immature need to win the opponent’s argument. I absolutely agree with Dr Spence that antidepressants are grossly overprescribed and cannot comprehend that Professor Reid could think otherwise. Considering the terrible adverse effects that can accompany these drugs, surely antidepressant should only be prescribed as a last resort?
My son took his own life and that of another after 17 days on Citalopram. He was prescribed this drug after a relationship breakdown.
After my son’s death his dad and his aunt were offered antidepressants to deal with their grief. So apart from the possible genetic predisposition to having another adverse reaction, was dishing out the pills really the best option?
Overprescribing dangerous drugs can lead to disastrous consequences. Unfortunately my son was one of the many victims who are seen as collateral damage by the pharmaceutical industry and the medical profession.
So yes, the responses are interesting, but the possible consequences of overprescribing antidepressants is too important a subject for frivolity. It seems that little has changed since Dr Walsh stated in another BMJ 2004 response “In the context of the current debate on the efficacy of antidepressants the following may be of interest. Ireland's suicide rate has risen threefold since antidepressants became available with the greatest increase occurring following the introduction of the SSRIs.” http://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/10/30/antidepressants-and-suicide...
Apart from the brilliant Professor David Healy, will anyone (including Dr Spence and Professor Reid) dare to debate on the ‘adverse effect’ of SSRI induced suicide and homicide?
Rapid Response:
Re: Are antidepressants overprescribed? Yes
I see that Professor Reid and Dr Spence have some history of debating. The responses in last year’s BMJ between these two men on ‘Bad medicine: bipolar II disorder’ are interesting in itself, if a tad lighthearted ; http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d2767?page=1&tab=responses
I do hope, considering the importance of the topic, that academic integrity outweighs the slightly immature need to win the opponent’s argument. I absolutely agree with Dr Spence that antidepressants are grossly overprescribed and cannot comprehend that Professor Reid could think otherwise. Considering the terrible adverse effects that can accompany these drugs, surely antidepressant should only be prescribed as a last resort?
My son took his own life and that of another after 17 days on Citalopram. He was prescribed this drug after a relationship breakdown.
After my son’s death his dad and his aunt were offered antidepressants to deal with their grief. So apart from the possible genetic predisposition to having another adverse reaction, was dishing out the pills really the best option?
Overprescribing dangerous drugs can lead to disastrous consequences. Unfortunately my son was one of the many victims who are seen as collateral damage by the pharmaceutical industry and the medical profession.
So yes, the responses are interesting, but the possible consequences of overprescribing antidepressants is too important a subject for frivolity. It seems that little has changed since Dr Walsh stated in another BMJ 2004 response “In the context of the current debate on the efficacy of antidepressants the following may be of interest. Ireland's suicide rate has risen threefold since antidepressants became available with the greatest increase occurring following the introduction of the SSRIs.” http://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/10/30/antidepressants-and-suicide...
Apart from the brilliant Professor David Healy, will anyone (including Dr Spence and Professor Reid) dare to debate on the ‘adverse effect’ of SSRI induced suicide and homicide?
Competing interests: No competing interests