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‘Chemical Imbalance’ Theory of Depression Hugely Profitable—and It’s Not Even True

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‘Chemical Imbalance’ Theory of Depression Hugely Profitable—and It’s Not Even True
Worldwide sales of SSRIs have been estimated to soar as high as $18.29 billion by 2027. Maxx-Studio/Shutterstock
Martha Rosenberg
Updated:
“Lexapro appears to relieve the symptoms of depression and anxiety by increasing serotonin,” says an ad on the Bonkers Institute, a website that archives drug ads and also satirizes pharma claims and shaky science.
“Zoloft works to correct a chemical imbalance in the brain which may be related to symptoms of depression,” another ad says.
Martha Rosenberg
Martha Rosenberg
Author
Martha Rosenberg is a nationally recognized reporter and author whose work has been cited by the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Public Library of Science Biology, and National Geographic. Rosenberg’s FDA expose, "Born with a Junk Food Deficiency," established her as a prominent investigative journalist. She has lectured widely at universities throughout the United States and resides in Chicago.
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