SSRI drugs linked to drop in suicide
From Times wire reports
Suicide rates have dropped in the United States since newer so-called SSRI antidepressant drugs were introduced, researchers said Monday. The report, published in the journal Public Library of Science Medicine, raises questions about whether SSRIs raise the risk of suicide as some studies have suggested.
Use of SSRIs to treat depression has saved more than 30,000 lives, according to the study.
“However, the findings do not preclude the possibility of increased risk of suicide among small populations of individuals,” said author Dr. Julio Licinio of the University of Miami.
