Forum: the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in depressed children and adolescents: Commentary on the meta-analysis by Hetrick et al

In this meta-analysis of the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in depressed children and adolescents, Hetrick et al. (in this issue) conclude that there is a modest place for the use of SSRIs in more severe depressions in adolescents and in subgroups that are yet to be well defined. Examining the role of these medications using meta-analytic techniques has been popular in recent years invariably from a rather negative perspective and without reference to the relative potency of treatments (pharmacological and psychological) available for these serious and potentially chronic mental disorders. This risks an unbalanced perspective of the efficacy of SSRIs, their clinical effectiveness and their pragmatic utility.