Comments on: Antidepressant Prescriptions: The Real Trend http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/antidepressant-prescriptions-the-real-trend/ News, Comment and Conversation Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:07:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Sashaproduction@mac.com http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/antidepressant-prescriptions-the-real-trend/#comment-39452 Sashaproduction@mac.com Thu, 13 Dec 2007 19:32:36 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/antidepressant-prescriptions-the-real-trend/#comment-39452 I have a graduate degree in Psychology and want nothing to do with the field because of their whorish behavior with the AMA concerning psychotropics. MD's have little to no psychological training and prescribe antidepressants during routine office visits (office visit +$150), psychiatrists spend less than 15 minutes talking to the patients they treat with meds (office visit +$150) and counselors with four years of mental health education that spend an hour talking with the patient (office visit +25)? Talk therapy has proven its importance time and again for a wide range of disorders, while medications have only proven themselves worthy for manic depressives, bi-polars and schizophrenics. By worthy, I mean worth the risk of the side effects (of which are still not fully known). Please, don't let your friends become victims of this fraud, talk to them!!! The number of prescriptions for antidepressants is surpassing the number 1 and 2 prescribed cholesterol and heartburn pills. Doesn't this scare you? I have a graduate degree in Psychology and want nothing to do with the field because of their whorish behavior with the AMA concerning psychotropics.

MD’s have little to no psychological training and prescribe antidepressants during routine office visits (office visit +$150), psychiatrists spend less than 15 minutes talking to the patients they treat with meds (office visit +$150) and counselors with four years of mental health education that spend an hour talking with the patient (office visit +25)? Talk therapy has proven its importance time and again for a wide range of disorders, while medications have only proven themselves worthy for manic depressives, bi-polars and schizophrenics. By worthy, I mean worth the risk of the side effects (of which are still not fully known).

Please, don’t let your friends become victims of this fraud, talk to them!!! The number of prescriptions for antidepressants is surpassing the number 1 and 2 prescribed cholesterol and heartburn pills.

Doesn’t this scare you?

]]> By: Lisa http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/antidepressant-prescriptions-the-real-trend/#comment-19766 Lisa Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:51:42 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/antidepressant-prescriptions-the-real-trend/#comment-19766 Sid, I would prefer neon orange box over black box anyday.. Sid,

I would prefer neon orange box over black box anyday..

]]> By: sid http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/antidepressant-prescriptions-the-real-trend/#comment-19764 sid Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:08:15 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/antidepressant-prescriptions-the-real-trend/#comment-19764 Again I will say - the black box warning debate is dead. As we can see it has NO effect. So put it in there, make it a gold box or a yellow box - no change. Again I will say - the black box warning debate is dead. As we can see it has NO effect. So put it in there, make it a gold box or a yellow box - no change.

]]> By: Lisa http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/antidepressant-prescriptions-the-real-trend/#comment-19763 Lisa Tue, 18 Sep 2007 15:43:22 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/antidepressant-prescriptions-the-real-trend/#comment-19763 It appears that Industry and their apologists,"SCREAMED FIRE" in a crowded room when there was none.Even worse... the media ran with the false claim of fire and its impending danger. Children' lives depend on the truth...All these individuals should be ashamed of themselves.... It appears that Industry and their apologists,”SCREAMED FIRE” in a crowded room when there was none.Even worse… the media ran with the false claim of fire and its impending danger.

Children’ lives depend on the truth…All these individuals should be ashamed of themselves….

]]> By: sea http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/antidepressant-prescriptions-the-real-trend/#comment-19758 sea Tue, 18 Sep 2007 14:22:44 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/antidepressant-prescriptions-the-real-trend/#comment-19758 Earning their pay, perhaps? Earning their pay, perhaps?

]]> By: Ben Hansen http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/antidepressant-prescriptions-the-real-trend/#comment-19754 Ben Hansen Tue, 18 Sep 2007 13:08:09 +0000 http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/09/antidepressant-prescriptions-the-real-trend/#comment-19754 More ammunition for the "black box warning linked to increased suicides" debate... See Table 29, "Studies assessing Suicidal thoughts and behavior" on page 106 of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Final Research Review published January 2007, "Comparative Effectiveness of Second-Generation Antidepressants in the Pharmacologic Treatment of Adult Depression." Twelve studies are cited. None show any difference between any of the SSRIs, and none show any advantage of SSRIs over older "first generation" antidepressants. Only 4 of the 12 studies compared antidepressants to placebo, and in all 4 of these studies, PLACEBOS OUTPERFORMED ANTIDEPRESSANTS. Summarized below. Fergusson et al., 2005. Meta-analysis: SSRIs vs. placebo. Results: Higher risk of suicide attempts for SSRI-treated patients. Gunnell et al., 2005. Meta-analysis: Citalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, all vs. placebo. Results: Increased risk of nonfatal suicide attempts compared with placebo; no difference in risk among drugs. Pedersen, 2005. Retrospective cohort study: Escitalopram vs. placebo. Results: Higher rate of nonfatal suicide attempts for escitalopram than for placebo. Aursnes et al., 2005. Meta-analysis of unpublished Paroxetine data. Results: Higher rate of suicides for paroxetine than for placebo. Read the AHRQ report here: http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/reports/topic.cfm?topic=8&sid=39&rType=3&sType=2 http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/repFiles/Antidepressants_Final_Report.pdf More ammunition for the “black box warning linked to increased suicides” debate…

See Table 29, “Studies assessing Suicidal thoughts and behavior” on page 106 of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Final Research Review published January 2007,
“Comparative Effectiveness of Second-Generation Antidepressants in the Pharmacologic Treatment of Adult Depression.”

Twelve studies are cited. None show any difference between any of the SSRIs, and none show any advantage of SSRIs over older “first generation” antidepressants. Only 4 of the 12 studies compared antidepressants to placebo, and in all 4 of these studies, PLACEBOS OUTPERFORMED ANTIDEPRESSANTS. Summarized below.

Fergusson et al., 2005.
Meta-analysis: SSRIs vs. placebo.
Results: Higher risk of suicide attempts for SSRI-treated patients.

Gunnell et al., 2005.
Meta-analysis: Citalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, all vs. placebo.
Results: Increased risk of nonfatal suicide attempts compared with placebo; no difference in risk among drugs.

Pedersen, 2005.
Retrospective cohort study: Escitalopram vs. placebo.
Results: Higher rate of nonfatal suicide attempts for escitalopram than for placebo.

Aursnes et al., 2005.
Meta-analysis of unpublished Paroxetine data.
Results: Higher rate of suicides for paroxetine than for placebo.

Read the AHRQ report here:
http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/reports/topic.cfm?topic=8&sid=39&rType=3&sType=2
http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/repFiles/Antidepressants_Final_Report.pdf

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