Antidepressants are a constant source of controversy. Concerns are raised that these drugs are not safe, that the side-effects are being overlooked, that they are being over-prescribed and are part of a trend of over-medicalisation. Questions are asked about giving antidepressants to children and pregnant women, and whether they even work or are used as a sticking plaster that simply masks any problems rather than treat them.
All these concerns have been the subject of many scientific papers and we have brought together four experts who have looked at the evidence on these wide-ranging issues and can offer an overview on which issues are of most concern and where improvements can most easily be made.
Come along to the Science Media Centre for this background briefing to discuss issues such as:
Speakers will include:
Prof. Guy Goodwin, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Oxford and Past President of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP)
Prof. Andrea Cipriani, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Oxford and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at the NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford,
Prof. Seena Fazel, Professor of Forensic Psychiatry and Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow, University of Oxford and Honorary Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford
Prof. Glyn Lewis, Professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology, UCL