News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:Antidepressants and medical uncertainty by PragmaticPulp on Monday April 05, 2021 @02:23PM (#26702621)
All medications, including antidepressants, are studied for potential reproductive harm. This is taken very seriously in wake of the Thalidomide disaster in the 60s.

Is it possible that antidepressants have some extremely subtle transgenerational epigenetic effects? Maybe, but comparing healthy patients to SSRI-treated remitted depressed patients is a bit of a red herring anyway. The real comparison would be between SSRI-treated patients and untreated depressed patients, because healthy people aren't prescribed SSRIs. We do know untreated depression is very harmful to people and their families, so speculating about immeasurably small negative effects of SSRIs while ignoring the massive and very real cost of untreated depression would be a mistake.

Re:Antidepressants and medical uncertainty by Judgmentality on Monday April 05, 2021 @02:28PM (#26702700)
> The real comparison would be between SSRI-treated patients and untreated depressed patients, because healthy people aren't prescribed SSRIs.

I see it very differently, as you are focusing entirely on the parents and completely ignoring the children. If the untreated patients weren't going to have kids, the question is only whether or not the children are happy. If the children of parents with antidepressants are more likely to require antidepressants themselves, I'd say that's indicative of a serious problem.

Re:Antidepressants and medical uncertainty by PragmaticPulp on Monday April 05, 2021 @02:45PM (#26702904)
> If the children of parents with antidepressants are more likely to require antidepressants themselves, I'd say that's indicative of a serious problem.

I'm not aware of any evidence that this is the case. Do you have any evidence, or are you speculating worst case scenarios?

Regardless, I think it's shortsighted and in poor taste to suggest that there is a problem with parents on SSRIs having children, particularly without any evidence to support your claims.

Re:Antidepressants and medical uncertainty by Judgmentality on Monday April 05, 2021 @02:49PM (#26702962)
Everything I'm saying is speculation. I'm asking questions, not providing evidence one way or the other. I never said there was a problem.
Re:Antidepressants and medical uncertainty by imwillofficial on Monday April 05, 2021 @03:14PM (#26703298)
So it is now verboten to ask questions?

SSRIs vs Untreated depression is a false dichotomy. There are many treatments for depression.

Re:Antidepressants and medical uncertainty by msrenee on Monday April 05, 2021 @06:43PM (#26705599)
Some cases of depression and especially bipolar disorder seem to have a genetic component. Parents that are on SSRIs, SNRIs, antipsychotics and atypical antipsychotics are probably already much more likely to have children who have the same conditions and need antidepressants, as the underlying condition often has a genetic component.
Re:Antidepressants and medical uncertainty by bawolff on Monday April 05, 2021 @03:25PM (#26703432)
You don't think having a parent with untreated depression is bad for child development?