Antidepressants Mostly Useless, Study Finds

(NEWSER) - The number of Americans on antidepressants doubled from 1996 to 2005, a new study finds, but fewer are seeing psychiatrists, and most aren’t using the drugs to affect their mood. As of 2005, the last year for which data were available, 27 million Americans—roughly 10% of the population—were on the drugs. But the majority used them to treat pain, fatigue, and other conditions, USA Today reports. More»

Parrots are the latest pets to see spike in depression

(NEWSER) - With more pet owners working long days and leaving their furry and feathered friends alone at home, cases of animal depression are on the rise, writes the Daily Telegraph. A TV vet says the trend is hitting parrots especially hard, causing the talkative birds to pull out their feathers or peck at their own legs—until they're dosed with Prozac. More»

Patients may face side effects without benefits: researchers

(NEWSER) - More than a quarter of Americans on antidepressants haven’t been diagnosed with depression, anxiety order, or any other condition that the drugs are intended to treat, a study finds. That means millions could face side effects without getting the drugs’ benefits, a researcher tells Reuters . In surveys of more than 20,000 people between 2001 and 2003, one in 10 people said they were on the medications, yet 26% of them hadn't been diagnosed. More»

Hundreds of pitchmen found to have blemished records

(NEWSER) - Pharmaceutical companies say they hire highly respected doctors as their white-coat sales force, peddling their drugs to other physicians. But a Pro Publica investigation has discovered that hundreds of these pitchmen have been accused of professional misconduct, been disciplined by state boards, or lacked credentials. Medical board records in the 15 most populous states revealed that more than 250 had been sanctioned, another 40 given FDA warnings for research lapses, and 20 more hit with successful malpractice lawsuits. Some have even lost their licenses. More»

But regulators stop short of an outright ban on Avandia

(NEWSER) - The FDA today put severe restrictions on Avandia, GlaxoSmithKline’s embattled diabetes drug, but stopped short of banning it outright. The once-popular drug will now only be available only as a last resort to type 2 diabetes patients who can’t control their glucose levels with any other medication, the AFP reports. Avandia has come under fire because data suggests it carries, in the FDA’s words, “an elevated risk of cardiovascular events” like heart attacks and strokes. More»