A lack of psychological and social therapies for people with mental health difficulties is partly to blame for high prescribing rates for antidepressants. That’s according to doctors addressing the Oireachtas joint health committee on foot of recent media reports on overuse of prescription drugs.

PROFESSOR Eoin O’Brien resigned as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland “in protest against the failure of either Royal College to support colleagues who have been prevented from performing the fundamental duty that doctors are trained for, namely treating the sick and wounded”.