Antidepressants
(asked on 28th October 2014) - View Source
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many prescriptions for antidepressants were issued in England in 2013; what percentage change since the previous year that represents; what studies they rely on to evaluate the outcomes of the long-term use of prescribed and over-prescribed drugs; and what plans they have to encourage further research in this area.
Information on the number of antidepressant prescription items (as defined by section 4.3 of the British National Formulary, Antidepressant drugs), dispensed within the community in England for 2012 and 2013 and the percentage difference between the two years, by individual drug, is shown in the following table.
Antidepressant prescription items (000s), England | |||
Chemical Name | 2012 | 2013 | Percentage difference, 2012 to 20131 |
Agomelatine | 24.4 | 24.0 | -1.8 |
Amitriptyline Hydrochloride | 10,394.5 | 11,091.8 | 6.7 |
Citalopram Hydrobromide | 13,651.0 | 13,702.9 | 0.4 |
Citalopram Hydrochloride | 77.2 | 75.6 | -2 |
Clomipramine Hydrochloride | 345.5 | 342.2 | -0.9 |
Dosulepin Hydrochloride | 1,427.9 | 1,305.8 | -8.6 |
Doxepin | 48.6 | 48.6 | 0.1 |
Duloxetine Hydrochloride | 965.2 | 1,172.7 | 21.5 |
Escitalopram | 1,044.6 | 959.3 | -8.2 |
Fluoxetine Hydrochloride | 5,847.2 | 6,016.2 | 2.9 |
Flupentixol Hydrochloride | 169.7 | 163.1 | -3.9 |
Fluvoxamine Maleate | 27.3 | 27.4 | 0.3 |
Imipramine Hydrochloride | 182.3 | 175.8 | -3.5 |
Isocarboxazid | 1.8 | 1.9 | 3.9 |
Lofepramine Hydrochloride | 303.9 | 285.8 | -6 |
Mianserin Hydrochloride | 8.4 | 8.3 | -1.9 |
Mirtazapine | 4,578.5 | 5,292.0 | 15.6 |
Moclobemide | 21.1 | 19.8 | -5.9 |
Nortriptyline | 454.6 | 498.3 | 9.6 |
Paroxetine Hydrochloride | 1,539.9 | 1,512.6 | -1.8 |
Phenelzine Sulfate | 19.3 | 18.8 | -2.7 |
Reboxetine | 40.8 | 37.3 | -8.8 |
Sertraline Hydrochloride | 4,904.0 | 6,305.1 | 28.6 |
Tranylcypromine Sulfate | 10.1 | 9.7 | -4.2 |
Trazodone Hydrochloride | 1,033.9 | 996.0 | -3.7 |
Trimipramine Maleate | 105.5 | 87.7 | -16.9 |
Tryptophan | 12.2 | 3.2 | -73.7 |
Venlafaxine | 2,927.5 | 3,144.4 | 7.4 |
Other 2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | -12.4 |
Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system, supplied by the NHS Business Services Authority
1 Some growth rates may appear disproportionate due to rounding applied to medicines with low numbers of prescription items
2 Includes Maprotiline Hydrochloride, Nefazodone Hydrochloride and Oxitriptan
The Department has not evaluated the effects of long-term use of prescription medicines and there are no plans to commission research into this issue.
Prescribers have access to a number of sources of advice to inform their decision-making, including the British National Formulary and guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. In addition, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is responsible for alerting clinicians to any issues arising from the use of particular drugs.