Prozac and its chemical cousins, Paxil, Celexa, and Zoloft, are
some of the most profitable and most widely used drugs in America.
Their use in the treatment of a multitude of disorders--from
generalized anxiety disorder and premenstrual syndrome to eating
disorders and sexual compulsions--has provoked a whirlwind of
public debate. Talk shows ask, Why is Prozac so popular? What,
exactly, do these drugs treat? But sustained critical discussion
among bioethicists and medical humanists has been surprisingly
absent.
The eleven essays in
Prozac as a Way of Life provide the
groundwork for a much-needed philosophical discussion of the
ethical and cultural dimensions of the popularity of SSRI
antidepressants. Focusing on the increasing use of medication as a
means of self-enhancement, contributors from the fields of
psychiatry, psychology, bioethics, and the medical humanities
address issues of identity enhancement, the elasticity of
psychiatric diagnosis, and the aggressive marketing campaigns of
pharmaceutical companies. They do not question the fact that these
antidepressants can, in some cases, provide great benefit to
alleviate real suffering. What they do question is the abundant
popularity of these drugs and that popularity's relationship to
American culture and ideas of selfhood.
Contributors:
Tod Chambers, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine,
Chicago
David DeGrazia, George Washington University
James C. Edwards, Furman University
Carl Elliott, University of Minnesota Center for Bioethics
David Healy, University of Wales College of Medicine
Laurence J. Kirmayer, McGill University
Peter D. Kramer, Brown University
Erik Parens, The Hastings Center
Lauren Slater, AfterCare Services, Boston
Susan Squier, Pennsylvania State University
Laurie Zoloth, Northwestern University Center for Genetic Medicine,
Chicago