Calls to Cancel ‘Flawed’ Study Questioning the Effectiveness of Antidepressants

A group of respected doctors are calling for the retraction of an influential study that challenges the effectiveness of antidepressants. They claim the study is riddled with ‘repeated mistakes’ and errors, leading to misinformation.

Last year, researchers at University College London claimed to have debunked the theory that low serotonin levels are responsible for depression, a theory dating back to the 1960s. The study, led by renowned consultant psychiatrist Prof Joanna Moncrieff, analyzed decades of research involving thousands of depressed patients and concluded that there was ‘no convincing evidence’ of a link between the illness and serotonin.

This study has received criticism from nearly 40 experts. They accuse Prof Moncrieff and her colleagues of displaying ‘substantial bias’ against antidepressants. Most antidepressants, which are taken by millions of people, are designed to increase serotonin levels.

Professor Joanna Moncrieff, pictured, a consultant psychiatrist at University College London, led a study last year which claimed to have disproved a link between low serotonin levels and depression 

Prof David Nutt, head of the center for neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London, is one of the experts criticizing the study. He stated, ‘This paper is full of flaws and should have never been published. It is essentially misinformation. That’s why I’m calling for its retraction.’

The doctors’ open letter, sent to the scientific journal Molecular Psychiatry, argues that Prof Moncrieff and her colleagues selectively analyzed only historical studies that supported the theory of no link between serotonin and depression.

Dr Sameer Jauhar, a clinical lecturer in affective disorders and psychosis at King’s College London, commented, ‘The authors of this study made repeated mistakes in their research, suggesting a lack of understanding of how depression affects the brain. These drugs can save lives, and the evidence supports that.’

In response to the criticisms, Prof Moncrieff defended the study, saying, ‘The authors did not want us to conduct this review because they did not want to reveal that there is no evidence of a biological basis for depression. We utilized approved and well-established methods, and it is incorrect to claim that we missed any studies. While the serotonin theory of depression is no longer believed, it persists because it provides a convenient explanation to support the prescription of antidepressants.’