Combination Antidepressants are not yet Proven Therapy in the Treatment of Depression

Quetiapine augmentation in depressed patients with partial response to antidepressants

“…These include switching of antidepressants, combinations of antidepressants and augmentation of antidepressants with other medications. While switching of antidepressants has been associated with up to 50% response rates with the new antidepressant (Kennedy et al, 2001), no clear advantage has yet been shown in studies of antidepressant combinations and there is a potential risk of serious adverse events (Olver et al, 2007). Augmentation strategies have the advantage of avoiding delays due to changing of medications, retaining any partial gains achieved with the antidepressant and may be associated with rapid onset of effect.…”

Combination Antidepressants: Safe Practice, Internationally Aware Clinicians and ‘Alarmed’ Academics

“…Olver et al. acknowledge that the ‘practice of combination antidepressants may be less dangerous than it used to be’ 1 . Meanwhile, the personal and family suffering, economic damage, deliberate self-harm and suicide rates in Australia all point to the failure of our current approaches, and emphasize the pivotal role of clinical judgment while awaiting possible/never occurring definitive trials.…”