The Biomedical Ethics Unit of the Faculty of Medicine is proud to present Dr. Irving Kirsch who will deliver a lecture titled “The Emperor’s New Drugs: Exploding the Antidepressant Myth,” on Oct. 14.
When asked about the subject matter of his lecture, Dr. Kirsch, a Psychology professor at the University of Hull, in England, said this. “Antidepressants work – everyone knows they do. That’s what I thought too, until my colleagues and I analyzed the clinical trial data. When I obtained the unpublished as well as published data from the Food and Drug Administration, I found that what everyone knew about antidepressants was wrong. Instead of treating depression with drugs, we’ve been treating it with suggestion. A thorough review of the research demonstrates that the chemical imbalance theory of depression is wrong. The effect of antidepressant drugs is independent of their chemical composition. Depression can be treated more effectively and more safely without drugs.”
The Emperor’s New Drugs; Oct. 14; 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. 3647 Peel St., room 101. Lecture is free, all are welcome. For more information contact Audrey M. Prosser at 514-398-6980 or by email at audrey.prosser@mcgill.ca.