Mass media representations as drug information for patients: the prozac phenomenon.

Results of a 20-year study of mass media representations of antidepressant medications and their use are presented. The recent Prozac phenomenon stands out as a primary example of media-generated drug information for patients. Various forms of mass media are important in providing perceptions of the effects, benefits, and safety of these new antidepressant drugs. Clinical research, however, suggests that the latest generation of antidepressant medications is no more effective in treating depressive symptoms than the first generation, tricyclic antidepressants. Yet, these new antidepressants have become the model drug not only for treating depression, but also for cosmetic psychopharmacology.