Drug companies would be forced to include warning labels on antidepressants alerting patients to the fact that they can cause long-term sexual dysfunction.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) recognises that sexual dysfunction in patients taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can continue for months or even years after patients stop taking the medication.
The TGA’s adverse events database has registered 89 reports of sexual dysfunction occurring during use of SSRIs or SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) to date.
The study also recorded four reports of continued sexual dysfunction in three men and one woman after they stopped taking the drug.
However, officials believe that post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD) is under-reported in Australia due to the large number of cases recorded in Europe.
The report details symptoms such as difficulty reaching orgasm, weaker orgasms, erectile dysfunction and reduced sensation in the penis. Australia.
Drug companies will be required to list long-term sexual dysfunction as a symptom for Australians taking antidepressants (stock image)
Lexapro is one of many SSRI antidepressants available for purchase nationwide.
“Effects lasted between 12 months and three and a half years. Persistent sexual dysfunction after cessation of treatment is thought to be rare,” the TGA said.
However, these conditions are likely under-reported and their prevalence is currently unknown.
“Healthcare professionals should be aware of this issue and consider whether current or past antidepressant use may be a contributing factor in patients reporting sexual dysfunction, and report any suspected association.”
As a result, all SSRI and SNRI medications must carry a warning that the medication may cause sexual dysfunction.
The label must state that some users have experienced long-term sexual dysfunction after stopping the drug.
Some pharmaceutical companies in Australia have begun to include the potential risk of sexual dysfunction on the labels of their SSRI medicines.
It is estimated that one in seven Australians take an antidepressant daily, with more than 32 million prescriptions currently written each year.
It’s estimated that one in seven Australians take an antidepressant daily, with more than 32 million prescriptions currently written each year (stock image)
This comes after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was sued for inaction on mandating revised labels.
Tens of thousands of people with PSSD have lamented their lingering symptoms in online forums, and many worry that their sexual dysfunction will be permanent.
Australian consultant neurologist Julia Thompson said it was still unclear why sexual dysfunction persisted after SSRI use.
“We now have signals that there is reason to be cautious, but we need to emphasize that the mechanisms are not understood,” she said.
“The exact reasons why sexual dysfunction persists are not fully understood. We are currently trying to understand its etiology. Sexual function is a difficult problem.”
“I think it’s important not to assume it’s drugs, because some people are numb from substance abuse or other causes. What’s confusing is that these symptoms can also be symptoms of depression or chronic pain.”
All SSRI and SNRI medications must carry a warning that antidepressants can cause sexual dysfunction that can last for months or even years (stock image)
A 2023 study by the University of New South Wales found that more than three million Australians take antidepressants each year.
On a per capita basis, Australia ranks behind only Iceland and the United States, where winter nights last 19 hours and seasonal affective disorder is common.
The study found that prescription writing rates have doubled over the past decade, with prescriptions jumping 15 percent at the start of coronavirus lockdowns.
The study found that the use of antidepressants has increased as a result of COVID-19, “with use increasing more among women than men, and among younger women than other age groups.”
This suggests “an increased mental health burden in a population that was already experiencing increased antidepressant use prior to the pandemic.”
Guidelines typically recommend taking antidepressants for up to six to 12 months after symptoms improve, but this can be extended to two years for people at risk of relapse.
The average length of time Australians take antidepressants has now risen to four years.
