The perils of Prozac

In seven years, Prozac has become a social phenomenon as well as a medical treatment. This paper reviews the background of the Prozac controversy and summarizes the current psychiatric and medical uses of the drug. Prozac and the other selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors have been determined to be safe and effective treatment for depression. Physicians are sometimes asked to prescribe the drug for inconsequential reasons, but serious depressions are seen frequently in general medical practice. Physicians thus need a high level of awareness and the capability to treat depression, a major public health problem.