Paroxetine versus other anti-depressive agents for depression
The evidence says paroxetine is roughly interchangeable with other SSRIs on effect - did a specific symptom or history point you to it for me?
Top of the evidence hierarchy, independently funded. how we score evidence
Caveat on this rating: One review author disclosed speaking honoraria from several drug manufacturers; the review itself had no external funding.
Pooling 115 randomised trials with 26,134 people, paroxetine was neither clearly better nor clearly worse than other antidepressants overall, with some evidence it was less effective than citalopram on early response.
Worth asking
The evidence says paroxetine is roughly interchangeable with other SSRIs on effect - did a specific symptom or history point you to it for me?
What it is FDA approved for
Read off the label. Trial duration and approval year are shown only where they were recorded — never inferred.
- Major depressive disorder (adults)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (adults)
- Panic disorder (adults)
- Social anxiety disorder (adults)
- Generalized anxiety disorder (adults)
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (adults)
Source
Paroxetine versus other anti-depressive agents for depression — Purgato M, et al. (2014)
Top-tier peer-reviewed journal
Read the source: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006531.pub2
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006531.pub2
How this was scored
- Study design
- Meta-analysis of randomised trials
- Funding
- No external funding
- Published in
- Top-tier peer-reviewed journal
- Sample size
- 26,134
- Preregistered
- No
- Conflicts disclosed
- Yes
- Independent of proponent
- Yes
- Retracted
- No
Read the full scoring rubric, including what it can't tell you.
Published August 19, 2026.
Questions
How strong is the evidence behind this?
Resolv rates this source "gold standard". Top of the evidence hierarchy, independently funded. It scores 94 out of 100 on our published rubric. One caveat travels with that badge: One review author disclosed speaking honoraria from several drug manufacturers; the review itself had no external funding. The score is calculated from recorded facts about the source — study design, funding, publication venue, sample size, preregistration — not typed in by an editor.
What is the source for this?
Paroxetine versus other anti-depressive agents for depression — Purgato M, et al. (2014). Published in: Top-tier peer-reviewed journal. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006531.pub2. The full source is linked on this page so you can read it yourself.
Who paid for this research, and does that matter?
Study design: Meta-analysis of randomised trials. Funding: No external funding. The researchers were independent of whoever benefits from the result. Industry sponsorship is one of the most reliably measured biases in medicine, which is why funding carries real weight in the score rather than sitting in a footnote.
Is paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva, Brisdelle), paxil, pexeva, brisdelle FDA approved?
Yes — FDA approved for Major depressive disorder (adults), Obsessive-compulsive disorder (adults), Panic disorder (adults), Social anxiety disorder (adults), Generalized anxiety disorder (adults), Posttraumatic stress disorder (adults). Approval is for a specific indication, not for everything the drug is prescribed for.
Is this medical advice?
This is information to bring to your prescriber, not medical advice and not a reason to change anything on your own. Nothing here is an instruction to stop or reduce a medication. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.
This is information to bring to your prescriber, not medical advice and not a reason to change anything on your own. Nothing here is an instruction to stop or reduce a medication. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.