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Article: The chemistry of despair. (anti-depressants) (Science and Technology)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- June 16, 1990
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1990 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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SINCE its launch in America in 1987, an anti-depressant drug called Prozac (or fluoxetine) has been a phenomenal success. This year it could bring Eli Lilly, Prozac's American manufacturer, $675m from sales throughout the world. Most doctors have welcomed the drug because it is the first new treatment for depression in decades. It also has far fewer nasty side-effects than its predecessors had. Yet, although there have been many anecdotal reports of wondrous improvements, formal studies suggest that Prozac is no more effective than traditional anti-depressants. Happily, better things are on the way.
Everybody gets depressed at some time or other. Usually the mood ...