Just as the patent is about to run out for Prozac, we learn that this worldwide topselling antidepressant isn’t any more effective than its competitors, Paxil and Zoloft. These three popular antidepressants, all from the same drug class, called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), were shown to be of similar effectiveness in a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, 12/19/01).
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Antidepressants can help reduce risk of repeat heart attacks and cardiac death, according to a study led by Stanford University researchers published Monday.

The findings suggest that patients who have already had a heart attack and suffer from depression should talk to their doctors about taking antidepressants to prevent another cardiac event.
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Secrecy agreements in litigation hide information about defective products or a company’s negligence, and sometimes go so far as to prohibit the parties from discussing that there ever was a lawsuit. Such is the case with Paxil and as a result, unwitting patients continued to take the drug long after its dangers were known to GlaxoSmithKline.
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