RCGP responds to Lancet Study on antidepressant side effects
Publication date: 22 October 2025
Responding to a study published in The Lancet finding that antidepressants vary widely in their physical side effects, highlighting the need for personalised prescribing Professor Kamila Hawthorne, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said:
“While evidence shows that antidepressants can be a safe and effective treatment for some patients, like any medication they are not without side effects which can vary from patient to patient – and as this research lays out, these can sometimes be physical and include weight gain.
“GPs will only prescribe anti-depressants with good reason, following a detailed history, and in conversation with the patient about the benefits and risks of different treatment options in accordance with clinical guidelines, and the various factors that could be impacting on an individual patient’s health. If a decision is made to prescribe medication, patients should be reviewed by their GP two to three weeks later to check for side effects. There should then be regular medication reviews to consider whether the treatment is still optimal, whether it’s having any side-effects and whether to reduce the dosage or stop taking medication altogether.
“These reviews are particularly important, as this study suggests, given that various factors, including lifestyle, can change how an antidepressant works. This is why it’s so important that GPs have enough time with their patients to have the conversations necessary to provide holistic, follow up care.
“If a decision is made to end a course of treatment, this should be medically supervised with appropriate safeguards in place. It’s vital that if patients do want to stop taking their medication, they contact their GP for support.
“Whilst anti-depressants are evidence-based and effective for some patients, we also need to see much greater investment in alternative treatments, such as talking therapies, which have been shown to be effective but for which patients are facing long waiting lists and current service provision is patchy.”
Further information
RCGP press office: 0203 188 7659
press@rcgp.org.uk
Notes to editors
The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 54,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.
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