The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Prescribed Drug Dependence, in their own words:
“While these drugs may help some people in the short term, there is growing evidence that long-term use leads to worse outcomes, and many patients report devastating persistent withdrawal and other negative effects.”
“… will address the growing problem of prescribed drug dependence (PDD). Increasing numbers of prescriptions for addictive, psychoactive drugs are being given to both adults and children, including benzodiazepines, antidepressants, antipsychotics, stimulants and painkillers.
While these drugs may help some people in the short term, there is growing evidence that long-term use leads to worse outcomes, and many patients report devastating persistent withdrawal and other negative effects. The APPG will engage with this issue by demanding appropriate services for those affected, proper training for medical professionals, reduced prescribing through adherence to new and existing guidelines, better data regarding the prevalence of PDD and more research into long-term harms associated with PDD …”
You can find out more from here.
And here you can find out about the 2018 research and reports that they’ve published or commissioned, including:
- A Systematic Review into the Incidence, Severity and Duration of Antidepressant Withdrawal Effects: Are Guidelines Evidence-Based?
- Antidepressant Withdrawal: A Survey of Patients’ Experience.
- The Patient Voice: an analysis of personal accounts of prescribed drug dependence and withdrawal submitted to petitions in Scotland and Wales.
- An Analysis of Four Current UK Service Models for Prescribed Medication Withdrawal Support.
