Antidepressants

(asked on 7th March 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they classify SSRI drugs as dependence forming; and if so, what time frame constitutes dependence forming.


Answered by
Lord O'Shaughnessy Portrait
Lord O'Shaughnessy
This question was answered on 14th March 2018

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are authorised for the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. A comprehensive assessment of all available data by the Expert Working Group of the Committee on Safety of Medicines in 2004 found that there was no clear evidence that SSRIs and related antidepressants have a significant dependence liability or show development of a dependence syndrome according to internationally accepted criteria. All SSRIs may be associated with withdrawal reactions on stopping or reducing treatment and product information for healthcare professionals and patients includes advice on gradual withdrawal of treatment and management of symptoms. The safety of SSRIs is continually monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

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