View the Table of Contents. Read the Introduction.
aStirring firsthand account of the SSRI wars. . . . Healy is a
distinguished research and practicing psychiatrist, university
professor, frequent expert witness, former secretary of the British
Association for Psychopharmacology, and author of three books in
the field. Instead of shrinking from commercial involvement, he has
consulted for, run clinical trials for, and at times even testified
for most of the major drug firms. But when he pressed for answers
to awkward questions about side effects, he personally felt Big
Pharma's power to bring about a closing of ranks against
troublemakers. That experience among others has left him well
prepared to puncture any illusions about the companies' benevolence
or scruples.a
--"New York Review of Books"
"A compelling story about mystery, deception, death,
disappointment, vindication, and uncertainty."
--"The American Psychological Association"
"Healy confirms his status as one longtime thorn in the side of
big drug companies, recounting how he was initially enthusiastic
about SSRIs but eventually grew concerned about their side
effects."
--"Psychology Today"
"Physicians should be aware of Let Them Eat Prozac."
--"JAMA"
"Let Them Eat Prozac is a double-pronged exploration, first of
the SSRI drugs used to treat depression, and second of the drug
industry."
--"Publishers Weekly"
"Ultimately, the book is about science, society and the power
and misuse of commercial promotion. . . . His investigation is
impressive."
--"Nature"
"This very important book will demonstrate beyond your worst
dreams that the commercial needs of Big Pharma are the natural-born
enemyof independent scientific research."
--John Le CarrA(c)
"Healy presents technical matters clearly. This book could not
be more timely."
--"Foreword"
"Let Them Eat Prozac is an interesting history. It asks some
stimulating and challenging questions, which are still in need of
better and more constructive answers."
--"Journal of the American Academy of Child Adolescent
Psychiatry"
"In a flood of academic publications and talks, David Healy has
issued harsh criticisms of both the pharmaceutical industry in
general and the nearly $20-billion-dollar-a-year antidepressant
industry in particular."
--"Boston Globe"
"Healy does raise some timely issues."
--"Psychiatric Services"
"Dr. Healy's tenacity in fighting for what he believes in is
admirable."
--"E-Streams"
"[Healy is] the leading authority on the history of
psychopharmacology."
--"Times Literary Supplement"
aAn alarming book. . . . The most disturbing part of the story
Healy tells is not merely about the risks of SSRIs but about the
efforts of the pharmaceutical industry to make sure those risks
were not uncovered.a
--"Dissent"
"In his timely new book, Healy draws on his extensive experience
in antidepressant studies and involvement in legal actions against
drug manufacturers. . . . Healy has the advantage of access to
internal pharmaceutical industry documents and makes a strong
case."
--"Library Journal"
"The author is an excellent historian who offers a gripping
interpretation of the role of the pharmaco-industrial complex in
the introduction of SSRIs. His recommendation for a funded agency
that would carefully evaluate the benefits and harms of marketed
drugs is a superb idea andmuch needed."
--Jonathan Cole, Harvard Medical School
"Healy exposes the massive fraud and deception in the production
and marketing of antidepressant drugs, the selevtive serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)."
--"Choice"
Prozac. Paxil. Zoloft. Turn on your television and you are
likely to see a commercial for one of the many selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) on the market. We hear a lot about
them, but do we really understand how these drugs work and what
risks are involved for anyone who uses them?
Let Them Eat Prozac explores the history of SSRIs--from their
early development to their latest marketing campaigns--and the
controversies that surround them. Initially, they seemed like
wonder drugs for those with mild to moderate depression. When
Prozac was released in the late 1980s, David Healy was among the
psychiatrists who prescribed it. But he soon observed that some of
these patients became agitated and even attempted suicide. Could
the new wonder drug actually be making patients worse?
Healy draws on his own research and expertise to demonstrate the
potential hazards associated with these drugs. He intersperses case
histories with insider accounts of the research leading to the
development and approval of SSRIs as a treatment for depression.
Let Them Eat Prozac clearly demonstrates that the problems go much
deeper than a side-effect of a particular drug. The pharmaceutical
industry would like us to believe that SSRIs can safely treat
depression, anxiety, and a host of other mental problems. But, as
Let Them Eat Prozac reveals, this "cure" may be worse than the
disease.