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Millions of medicines
are sold in pharmacies
every year. What hardly
anyone knows: People
are 16 times more likely
todieasaresultoftakingprescribed
medication than they are to be killed
inacaraccident.Thereisnodoubt:
Medicinessavelives.However,there
aredoctorswhodonotdivulgethat
taking any medicine involves risks—
andthisdoesnotjustpertaintothe
exotic compounds in the pharmacy...
Quite the opposite.
“The most common side effects and
complications are caused by medicines
that are the most commonly prescribed,”
says Keihan Ahmadi-Simab, medical
director of Germany’s Stephansplatz
Clinic. And many experts regard this
asthecruxoftheproblem.Because
something that seems harmless but
is actually dangerous poses double
the danger to patients. A significant
example is given by antidepressants.
Bruce Arroll, a professor of medicine
at the University of Auckland in New
Zealand, discovered that these kinds
of psychotropic drugs only exhibited
an effect in 1 out of every 10 patients.
Despitethis,about13%ofAmericans
who are being treated for depression
are prescribed these drugs—though
the prescribing doctor must be clear
that many patients will be exposed to
unnecessary risks. Because the fact
is:Antidepressantshaveenormous
side effects. Peter Gøtzsche, director
of the Nordic Cochrane Centre that
examinesthehealtheffectsofanti-
depressant drugs, found in a study
that in Western countries alone, from
a population of 1.2 billion inhabitants,
around 500,000 people die annually
from side effects of this treatment.
One example of this phenomenon is
provided by the selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Debate
has raged in professional circles for
years because of the suspicion thatDO MEDICINES CLAIM MORE
LIVES THAN THEY SAVE?
“The terrible
part is that all
medicines have
harmful side effect
and meanwhile, ma
of them are also
ineffective.”these drugs signifi cantly raise the
of suicide. Many experts believe
culprit is the particular character
of drugs based on the princip
SSRI. They make depressed pe
become more active—the affected
individuals overcome their lack of
motivation. The problem: The drugs
lend every thought or plan more energy,
including suicidal intentions. So at the
start of the treatment in particular, “A
patient can still feel depressed and
want to die—and during this time the
drug is already starting to improve
the patient’s lack of drive,” explains
Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, head of
Germany’s Central Institute of Mental
Health. Patients may gain the energy
needed to put such a plan into action.
However, even critics of SSRIs know
that currently very few alternatives
exist for the psychiatric treatment of
severe depression. The reason: Other
available antidepressants have even
more side effects...PETER GØTZSCHE
Internal medicine specialist, director
of the Nordic Cochrane Centre