Cochrane Review Calls for More Research on Antidepressant Withdrawal Researchers find a lack of current literature on safe, effective ways to manage antidepressant withdrawal and make suggestions for future research. 15 A new Cochrane review examines the current body of research on stopping antidepressant use, finding a major lack in this area. The researchers call for further investigation into safe and effective strategies for stopping antidepressants. “We know the rise in long-term antidepressant use is a major concern around the world,” says lead review author and Belgian-based researcher Ellen Van Leeuwen. “As a GP myself, I see first-hand the struggles many patients have coming off antidepressants. It’s of critical concern that we don’t know enough about how to reduce inappropriate long-term use or what the safest and most effective approaches are to help people do this. For example, there are over 1,000 studies looking at starting antidepressants, yet we found only 33 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) around the world that examined stopping them. It’s clear that this area needs urgent attention.”