In the latest BMJ, a group of epidemiologists reports that SSRI’s (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, a commonly-prescribed type of anti-depressant) are associated with a certain type of birth defect when the mom takes the drug early in pregnancy:
There is an increased prevalence of septal heart defects among children whose mothers were prescribed an SSRI in early pregnancy,
We have a health care system built on dangerous drugs — and those drugs are poorly tested for safety. It isn’t in the drug companies’ interest to do so, of course. In this particular case, I wonder if the drugs were safety-tested on pregnant rats and if so what happened.
really, I want to believe that anti-depressants improve mental health of those who need it. But more and more, the studies produce a lot of disturbing stuff.
Andrew,
How many pregnant women took SSRIs early in pregnancy before OB/GYNs began telling them not to?
Andrew, the very fact of this association reveals that many pregnant women took these drugs. I wouldn’t use the word “evil” to describe the system but the crummy safety tasting of dangerous drugs is highly beneficial to drug companies and horrible for everyone else. And what fraction of research psychiatrists are seeking perfectly safe alternatives to SSRI’s? Uh, zero?
The part that bothers me the most is that run of the mill depression seems to come in the large majority of cases from basic human needs not being met. That is, in the large majority of cases with depressed people, there are obvious basic needs not being met adequately (physical and emotional security, status within a peer group, friendship, emotional intimacy, a sense of growth and learning, and so on). Meet the basic needs -> depression goes away. SSRI’s treat the symptoms (however well and with whatever negative side affects), instead of addressing the causes.
See here
https://www.amazon.co.uk/depression-Fast-Human-Givens-Approach/dp/1899398414/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253818349&sr=8-1
for example.
Hi,
Having been through the episode of depression, I am healing with the practice of vipassana meditation and I questionned the validity of the research with the myth of the chemical imbalance and found this: Antidepressant drugs don’t work � Official study
link https://tinyurl.com/dhu8yj and
link https://www.badscience.net/2008/02/619/
and
from PloS research in the comments section from an Epidemiologist and Assistant Professor, https://tinyurl.com/ydqy76a
Omega-3 fatty acids as a first line intervention for depression?
Quote>> So what can we learn from these two meta-analyses? First, it is important to remember that meta-analysis does not really “prove” anything. No two trials are identical and there is heterogeneity among the trial results. However, one interesting hypothesis based on these data is that while antidepressant drugs are certainly effective, if we take into account cost, side effects, and relative effectiveness, patients with mild to moderate depression may be better off increasing their intake of omega-3 fatty acids (especially EPA) rather than taking antidepressant drugs. We state this as an hypothesis to be tested, not as a conclusion Quote
Should doctor or GP prescribe Omega-3 as a first line of treatment
https://tinyurl.com/csznr5
Have good day
Yvan F
Andrew, in the case of this particular study, the prescriptions were issued — given to the women by doctors — while the women were pregnant. They weren’t taking them against medical advice; they were taking them to follow medical advice.
I am saying the current system favors crummy safety testing while at the same time relying almost exclusively on drugs that are surely dangerous. I don’t think that argument is an example of damned-if-you-do damned-if-you-don’t. I would not damn the drug industry if they did better safety testing, nor would I damn the entire medical establishment if they grasped the value of prevention (my interest in fermented foods — not shared by the medical establishment, with a few exceptions — is an example of how prevention might work). This is one example of a long-standing big problem: Popular drugs are discovered to be more dangerous than anyone was told.
I’m less sure than you are that there is now research being done to find safer versions. Advertising such versions might destroy the market for the current versions.