#493 Heeding Antidepressant Warnings

Antidepressants like Zoloft, Paxil or Prozac have become extremely popular because they work well to ease many kinds of psychological distress, from premenstrual dysphoria to extreme shyness to depression. These medicines can be life-savers, and many people do well and suffer few side effects. But the FDA has just asked manufacturers to warn physicians and patients that thoughts of suicide or even suicide attempts may be a serious problem for some individuals taking these SSRIs. Guests: Joe Glenmullen, MD, Clinical Instructor of Psychiatry at Harvard University and author of the book, Prozac Backlash. His Web site is www.prozacbacklash.com David Healy, MD, Director of the North Wales Department of Psychological Medicine, UK Thomas Laughren, MD, Team Leader of Neuropharmacological Drug Products at the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Nanette Gartrell, MD, Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco