Paxil Again Linked to Suicide

GlaxoSmithKline, manufacturer of Paxil, has notified doctors that the anti-depressant may increase the likelihood that adults might attempt suicide.

The FDA released a state ment about the new warning, which is the second about suicide from Paxil in two years:

"We are recommending that consumers and prescribers follow current advice to carefully observe adults being treated with antidepressants for worsening of depression and for increased suicidal thinking and behavior. It is essential that patients taking Paxil do not suddenly stop taking their medication."

In Britain, Paxil (Seroxat in Europe) is the number one antidepressant. In response to GlaxoSmithKline's announcement, the British Health Secretary, Patricia Hewitt, declared the end of the "Prozac nation".

The British are launching a program to cut the numbers of patients on drugs such as Prozac and Seroxat and extend counseling to the thousands of people with mild to moderate depression and anxiety.

For information on alternative treatments for depression.

Light Therapy And Fluoxetine Are Equally Effective For SAD

Bright artificial light and the antidepressants fluoxetine (Prozac) are both effective treatments for the winter form of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). A head-to-head comparison conducted in four Canadian cities over three winters is reported in an article in the May issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry, the official journal of the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

Read more about the study comparing light therapy to prozac as well as the advantages of light therapy over antidepressants.