[neverdem]

The British Medical Journal

[neverdem]

FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.

[Nov3]

In one of the new analyses, researchers at the University of Ottawa re-evaluated data from 345 antidepressant trials for depression and other conditions, involving 36,455 men and women. The investigators found 143 total suicide attempts, and found that the rate was twice as high in people who were taking S.S.R.I.'s as it was in those getting placebo pills, or some other form of therapy.

How many endured incredible agitation? How many were "found" to be manic depressive. You know if you experience a mania on an SSRI you are bipolar? Doesn't matter if you never experience mania otherwise, you are still manic. So what if you can safely take the tri-cyclics! You are still manic. Time to mix in some Tegretol and or Topomax. You will feel right in a jiffy. Whatever you do don't discontinue the drug that "kindled" your underlying mania.

Seriously I wonder who is paying for what here? I would love to see the raw data. A few confidence intervals and, twice as, is relative.

[Nov3]

In another analysis, also in the British journal, doctors evaluated data from 477 trials involving 40,826 people, which were submitted by drug companies to British regulators for safety review. "We found no evidence that S.S.R.I.'s increased the risk of suicide," and weak evidence that the drugs increased the risk of self harm, the authors concluded.

Well we can definitely trust this one.

[maine-iac7]

sounds like some folk need a chill pill ;o)