Prozac May Not Prevent Depression Relapses

Durham, NCWhile Prozac birth defects are already a suspected side effect of the drug, a new study indicates that its use may not prevent a relapse of depression, The New York Times reports.

According to the new study, approximately half of adolescents who recovered from major depression ultimately became depressed again within five years, regardless of initial treatment or therapy they received.

The study, which was published recently in Archives of General Psychiatry, was led by Dr. John Curry, a psychologist in the psychiatry department at the Duke University School of Medicine.

"It looks like we don't have a treatment yet that really prevents recurrence," said Curry. "And we don't have much of an indicator while the person is in treatment of how protected they're going to be against recurrence."

In the study, nearly 200 adolescents aged 12 to 17 received either 12 weeks of Prozac, cognitive behavioral therapy or both, or a placebo pill. After 36 weeks, researchers said improvement for each group was similar and that by two years most people had completely recovered.

However, by five years, 47 percent suffered another major episode of depression, regardless of the treatment, the study said.