A 28-year-old Spanish man who had been taking fluoxetine (Prozac) for obsessive-compulsive disorder developed aplastic anemia -- a disease that impairs the ability of bone marrow to generate blood cells . Aplastic anemia is known to be caused by radiation, some chemicals and some drugs, but the man's physicians believe this is the first case related to the use of Prozac. The symptoms of aplastic anemia stem from low levels of blood cells. The disorder leads to decreased amounts of red blood cells, resulting in anemia, decreased amounts of white blood cells, leading to an increased risk of infection, and falling platelet counts, which lead to impaired clotting. About 10% to 25% of patients taking Prozac experience "nausea, nervousness, insomnia, headache, tremor, dry mouth, sweating, and diarrhea.

The Lancet April 4, 1998;351:1031