April 3, 2013 — In a segment entitled “The Myth of Antidepressants,” which is scheduled to air today, Dr. Oz will be addressing the over-prescription of antidepressants in health care today.
We see ads on television all the time telling us that these “miracle pills” can cure low energy, anxiety and down moods. The ugly truth about antidepressants, according to Dr. Oz, is that for most patients, these drugs simply don’t work. “They can actually make your problems worse,” says Dr. Oz in a segment to air on April 3, 2013. “They may even cause deadly harm. And most frightening of all, if you’re a woman between 40 and 60, chances are about one in four, you’re on them.”
Dr. Oz explores the history of antidepressants, starting in 1987 when Prozac first hit the U.S. market. After countless companies made billions in the years since making similar drugs, the U.S. now finds itself with one out of every ten people on some form of antidepressant. That means over 30 million people in the U.S. are on these drugs.
Other shows have also raised questions about the effectiveness of antidepressants. A recent 60 Minutes episode featured commentary on antidepressant efficacy from Dr. Irving Kirsch, associate director of the Placebo Studies Program at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Kirsch professed on the program that he and his colleagues haven’t found anything new, just revealed the pharmaceutical industry’s “dirty little secret” on antidepressants – the difference between them and a placebo is “very, very small.”
In a related matter, the law firm of Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman, along with Pendley, Baudin & Coffin have filed a consumer fraud class action lawsuit against Pfizer, Inc., the manufacturer of the antidepressant Zoloft. The claims in that lawsuit state that Pfizer withheld information regarding Zoloft’s lack of effectiveness.
Why are so many people taking these drugs, which have been shown to be no more effective than a placebo? Not only are they ineffective for many patients, according to Dr. Oz, some have been shown to have dangerous side effects, including an increased risk of birth defects and suicide among teenage patients.
In order to answer this question, Dr. Oz will be joined by a panel of experts, including Dr. Drew Pinsky, Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Clifford Basset and Janet Tsai. Tune in today to find out more about “The Myth of Antidepressants.”
