Prozac Fails Kids: New Study Demands Guideline Change

Clinical guidelines worldwide should be updated to stop recommending Prozac for young people, according to a new review of trial data. Researchers have concluded that fluoxetine, commonly known as Prozac, demonstrates no meaningful clinical benefit for treating depression in children and adolescents when compared to placebo drugs. This finding challenges existing recommendations from health bodies like the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice).

The meta-analysis of 12 trials, published in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, suggests that any improvements observed in children's depressive symptoms are too small to be clinically significant. The study highlights concerns that the potential for harmful side effects, such as weight gain, sleep disturbances, concentration problems, and increased suicidal ideation, likely outweighs the minimal benefits. Researchers also noted a 'novelty bias' in earlier studies that might have inflated positive results.

Experts involved in the study are urging a reassessment of current practices, emphasizing that guidelines should not endorse treatments equivalent to placebo, especially given the risks. While Nice maintains that antidepressants can be considered for moderate to severe depression in combination with therapy under specialist supervision, the new findings prompt a critical examination of how evidence is interpreted and applied to protect young individuals from unnecessary medication risks.