Rethink long-term antidepressants: Review finds little benefit beyond 12 months

Article excerpt

A new clinical review challenges the standard practice of keeping patients on antidepressants indefinitely, finding minimal benefits beyond a year of use alongside elevated health risks. Researchers from Adelaide University and The University of Queensland analyzed existing evidence for the Australian Journal of General Practice and now recommend patients have their treatment reassessed every six months rather than continuing medications without review. The findings add to growing concerns about long-term antidepressant use, suggesting doctors may be over-prescribing these drugs to stable patients who no longer need them.