Oh, the press…

Scientists love to refer to “the media”, “the press” and “the journalists” like an ubiquitous beast with a single mind and thousands of bodies, working together for the evil goal of misrepresenting science.

(well, I think referring to “the scienctists” as a single entity is wrong just the same, but I digress)

The point is that now there is a good reason for pointing fingers at the press. All this rush to say that Prozac is gone would be funny (because in some weeks or months someone will have to stand up to say “hm, er, we were wrong”). But it is worrying.

I came accross several headlines today saying that Prozac is no more effective than sugar pills. I can only think about all the people who take the drug. What if doctors decide not to prescribe it anymore? And if some people decide to stop taking the pills suddenly? It’s not a good thing to do.

And so:

1 – How can we explain the suicide scare of some time ago, when newspapers stated that antidepressants increased the chances of suicide? Something doesn’t fit in there.

2 – If it is proved that the “wonder drug” is no more than a placebo, boy, we have an amazing case to study there! 20 years of real effects coming from a placebo. Careful study of the phenomenon could bring answers to all our problems!

For more concrete information from someone who actually read the study that originated all of this, read this post

Update:

I forgot the most important question: WHY are newspapers like the Guardian so eager to bury Prozac, instead of investigating the scientific papers about that? Just to sell more papers?

(I welcome suggestions)