PFPC Daily - December 5, 2004

GPs get new anti-depressant rules
Prozac [and Paxil (Seroxat)] included in the new guidelines

BBC - December 6, 2004

New guidelines are being issued to doctors by the drugs regulator on
the use of some anti-depressants, amid growing concern about their
safety.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines cover drugs
such as Prozac and Seroxat used by hundreds of thousands of people in
the UK.

Campaigners are concerned about how widespread they have become and
the problems some have coming off them.

But manufacturers say the drugs have fewer side effects than previous
ones.

The release of the guidelines coincide with the release of the
findings of a review by the Medicines and Healthcare Products
Regulatory Agency (MHRA) into the suitability of anti-depressants.

BBC health correspondent Karen Allen said 13 million prescriptions
are written for this family of drugs each year in Britain.

There is speculation that the MHRA will call for patients with
moderate depression or anxiety to be taken off the drugs and offered
counselling instead, she said.

A newspaper report claimed doctors were prescribing the drugs to
hundreds of thousands of people who do not have a serious clinical
condition.

Last year, doctors were advised not to prescribe the drugs, known as
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), to patients under
the age of 18.

An MHRA spokesman said the review looked at all aspects of treating
depression, as well as looking at the use of SSRIs.

SOURCE:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4071145.stm