'Prozac Nation' claim not true, say experts

Published on Tuesday 15 September 2009 20:32

CLAIMS that Scotland is in danger of becoming a "Prozac Nation" because of the oversubscribing of antidepressant drugs by GPs have been robustly challenged in a new study by medical researchers.

Research by mental health experts at Aberdeen University has shown that doctors may even be under-prescribing antidepressant drugs – a situation researchers warn could potentially be made worse by attempts to hit government targets for a major reduction in prescriptions.

The Scottish Government has set a target to achieve a 10 per cent reduction in the prescription of antidepressant drugs, such as Prozac.

A report, published in December by NHS Scotland, revealed the number of antidepressants prescribed had more than tripled in 15 years, costing the health service 40 million in 2007.

But Ian Reid, professor of mental health at Aberdeen University, who led the research, said the study, based on the prescribing activity of GPs in the NHS Grampian area, had cleared doctors of over-subscribing, and the team believed their study was indicative of the situation elsewhere in Scotland.

He said: "Our study shows that GPs are not prescribing antidepressants unnecessarily."