The following letter written by the We Need To Talk coalition, of which BACP is a part of, was sent to The Times on Tuesday 15 June 2010.

Dear Sir,

It was of great interest to read Talking therapies are more effective than Prozac-type drugs, says scientist (14/06/10) reporting on Professor Irving Kirsch's new research into the efficacy of certain antidepressants. We welcome any discussion around the effectiveness of treatments for depression, an illness which affects almost one in ten people a year. It is true that antidepressants can provide a lifeline for some people enabling them to get on with their life. However, they are not the answer for everyone and should not be considered a cure all. NICE guidelines state that for mild to moderate depression, talking therapies should be the first line treatment but GPs are often forced to prescribe drugs because alternatives such as counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy are unavailable. Everyone will experience depression differently and will find different treatments more or less effective; it is vital that people are given the support and choice of treatment that suits them best and provide them with the best possible chance of recovery.

The We Need To Talk coalition:

John Taylor, President The British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies

Lynne Gabriel, Chair, British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Malcolm Allen, Chief Executive, The British Psychoanalytic Council

Sue Gardner, President, The British Psychological Society

Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive, The Mental Health Foundation

Paul Farmer, Chief Executive, Mind

Jeremy Clarke, Chair, The New Savoy Partnership

Paul Jenkins, Chief Executive, Rethink

Dinesh Bhugra, President, The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Andy Bell, Deputy Chief Executive, Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health

Sarah Brennan, Chief Executive, Young Minds

The letter was in response to the following article which ran on Monday 14 June 2010: Talking therapies are more effective than Prozac-type drugs, says scientist