While drug manufacturers and regulators claim that antidepressants reduce the risk of suicide, a leading expert in psychopharmacology has uncovered evidence that shows otherwise.
The expert gained access to confidential company documents of GlaxoSmithKline and found that results of the company’s own clinical trials of Paxil, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant, show that the drug increases the risk of suicide.
The results show that about one out of every 60 people on Paxil attempt to commit suicide, compared with one out of every 550 people taking a placebo. This means that the risk of committing suicide while on Paxil is nine or 10 times greater than the risk on a sugar pill.
According to experts, the drug company and U.S. and U.K. regulators have known about the data for 13 years.
The report was broadcast last year by BBC, which subsequently received close to 1,400 e-mail reports and over 5,000 telephone calls mostly from people who had suffered drug withdrawal symptoms and thought they were alone.
Along with reports from adults, BBC reported that they received 23 about children who had had bad experiences with Paxil. Although the drug has not been approved for use in people under 18 years of age in the U.K., doctors can prescribe it if they think it is necessary.
In the United States, however, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved SSRIs for children.
Moreover, according to BBC, the number of suicides linked to Paxil may be significantly underestimated, as the FDA receives reports for only one percent to 10 percent of actual adverse drug reactions.
Despite the association, U.S. news media have averted their gaze and are not conducting an investigation that would shed light on the scope of the problem in America, where most of the psychotropic drugs--including SSRI antidepressants--are sold.
Some speculate that the media may be reluctant to investigate the drug industry for fear that it may threaten their advertising revenue.
The psychiatric community, including the American Psychiatric Associatio and the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, has also remained silent on the problem of drug-induced suicide.
According to experts, vital information is being suppressed and clinicians are prescribing these drugs without knowledge of their potentially lethal side effects, and millions of people who are taking the drugs, even for minor discomforts, are doing so without knowledge of the potential for harm.
Research Protection May 21, 2003
Antidepressants are in no way, shape or form the cure for depression, and, as the report above suggests, they can be associated with tragic consequences.
Wouldn’t it make more sense to use less toxic and less expensive alternatives that at least have a chance at treating the cause?
While that might make sense to you and me it surely is not the choice that most drug companies would have you and your doctor make for treating depression.
Antidepressants are the top-selling therapeutic class, with $12.5 billion in annual retail sales. Depression is an enormously common problem and many people use a drug-based solution to address it.
However, it is clear that omega-3 fat supplementation and restriction of omega-6 fats will profoundly improve the brain function and depression.
Dr. Stoll, director of the psychopharmacology research lab at Boston's McLean Hospital and assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, discusses this extensively in his book The Omega-3 Connection.
Additionally, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a profoundly helpful tool to help to quickly, inexpensively and permanently resolve the underlying cause of depression.
I have developed a free 25-page report on how you can learn EFT but you will want to seek a professional therapist for more severe cases of depression. Additionally, my EFT Series on DVD or VHS, which gives even more in-depth instruction on how to use EFT, can be used from your home as a supplement to your work with an EFT therapist.
The Related Articles, at the bottom of this page, are to Prozac, but that drug is not significantly different than Paxil.
Addendum: When this article was originally posted I received a response from David Vaughan, a friend of mine who is one of the top nutritionists in the country, that highlighted the pervasiveness of this problem and the fact that doctors are unwittingly the third leading causing of death in the US.
It was good to see you publish the story on Paxil and suicide. That is exactly why my father shot himself about 5 years ago at the age of 81. He had torn a quad muscle in a fall in the shower. His doc was "trying to reduce his depression" about being stuck in a wheel chair for the duration of healing by prescribing Paxil. Upon starting the Paxil he immediately fell into a deep confusion including panic attacks and within days had taken his own life - something absolutely no one who knew him would have ever expected or predicted. He was a clear headed, avid outdoorsman and daily skier right up to his injury. Paxil killed him. Worst part is the problem with the med was reported to his doctor immediately after they began by several people including my father. Sadly, I'm sure this is a common story. Thanks, David Vaughan
It was good to see you publish the story on Paxil and suicide. That is exactly why my father shot himself about 5 years ago at the age of 81. He had torn a quad muscle in a fall in the shower. His doc was "trying to reduce his depression" about being stuck in a wheel chair for the duration of healing by prescribing Paxil.
Upon starting the Paxil he immediately fell into a deep confusion including panic attacks and within days had taken his own life - something absolutely no one who knew him would have ever expected or predicted. He was a clear headed, avid outdoorsman and daily skier right up to his injury. Paxil killed him.
Worst part is the problem with the med was reported to his doctor immediately after they began by several people including my father.
Sadly, I'm sure this is a common story.
Thanks, David Vaughan
Related Articles:
Prozac Backlash: Overcoming the Dangers of Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and Other Antidepressants with Safe, Effective Alternatives Prozac Possible 'Link' to Brain Tumors Aplastic Anemia Linked to Prozac Prozac Profit Ploy- Rename and Sell Under "Sarafem"
Prozac Backlash: Overcoming the Dangers of Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and Other Antidepressants with Safe, Effective Alternatives
Prozac Possible 'Link' to Brain Tumors
Aplastic Anemia Linked to Prozac
Prozac Profit Ploy- Rename and Sell Under "Sarafem"