Scientist Seeks Study on Paxil Side Effects Like Breast Cancer

Cambridge, MAA researcher affiliated with Harvard University who reviewed more than 60 studies recently suggested that scientists should further examine Paxil side effects including breast cancer, Bloomberg reports.

span itemprop="image" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject" style="display:block">According to the news source, the risk of cancer increased by 11 percent on average for patients taking Paxil or other antidepressants. The report was published in a recent issue of the journal PLoS ONE.

Of the 16 different studies that examined selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as GlaxoSmithKline's Paxil, 15 found a higher risk of cancer among patients, according to the report.

"Reviewing the evidence is a critical public health issue in light of the increasing prevalence of AD use, especially among women, and in light of the fact that one in eight women will be diagnosed with cancer of the breast during their lifetime," said the researchers, who were led by Lisa Cosgrove, a research lab fellow at Harvard's Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics.

According to the news source, antidepressants are the third-most prescribed class of drug in the US and are taken by 27 million Americans.