Antidepressants: Side Effects

When antidepressants are prescribed, the clinician responsible for the patient’s care should explain the medicine clearly. This should include a discussion with the patient about the possible benefits, risks, and side effects of treatment. Patients are also given a patient information leaflet (PIL) with each medicine. This explains possible side effects. The National Health Service website also has information on antidepressants, including possible side effects.

Patients and families raised concerns with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) that the current warnings about some risks of antidepressants were not clear enough. In response, an Expert Working Group of the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) was set up to give independent advice to the MHRA on how risks could be explained more clearly to patients. This review has concluded and the MHRA is taking forward several recommendations with the marketing authorisation holders, including strengthened wording in the PIL, so that risks such as suicidal behaviour are clearer and easier for patients and their support network to understand. This work has been informed by a group of patients with a range of mental health conditions in line with CHM advice.