The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have published the minutes of a meeting held with Bob Fiddaman, campaigner and author of the Seroxat Sufferers blog, to discuss withdrawal issues.
The meeting discussed the current warnings in the patient information leaflet and the problems encountered when ending treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), but especially paroxetine (Seroxat®). Attention was also drawn to low levels of awareness of withdrawal as a problem and due to this a lack of expertise and support when patients do encounter withdrawal symptoms, for example by using liquid formulations.
Action: Clinicians should be well aware of the potential for withdrawal symptoms associated with SSRIs, especially paroxetine. Using liquid formulations or changing to longer acting treatments (fluoxetine) towards the end of therapy may make treatment withdrawal easier.