A formulation of prozac, containing 20mg of Fluoxetine HCl per 5mL of liquid. Non-medicinal ingredients are: Benzoic acid, glycerin, mint flavour, purified water, and sucrose.
Prozac is an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) type anti-depressant drug. SSRIs (are thuoght to) work by preventing the reuptake of serotonin, an important neurotransmitter in the brain thought to affect mood, which stimulates production of same. Prozac is used to treat depression, bulimia nervosa, and obsessive compulsive disorder. For more detailed information, see the Prozac node.
It isn't just toddlers who can't swallow pills. Many older children can't, including many teens who are treated with prozac for bulimia or anorexia or depression. Many adults can't; I can't, and drugs that come in alternate forms like liquid or chewable or sublingual are a godsend when I need them. Many cancer patients, for whom depression is understandably common, can't swallow easily due to the brutal regimen of treatment they undergo. For that matter, many pediatric cancer patients would doubtless be helped by an SSRI. Depression is a brutal condition, and I have firsthand experience with how drug treatment can help; can amazingly change your life, give you back your normal self. Disdain for the possible over-prescription of Prozac and other anti-depressants is one thing, but suggesting that Prozac, a clinically proven treatment for a devasting illness, is a sign of societal decay is nothing more than uninformed slander and part of the prejudice and stigma that patients with depression must face every day. Chill out and go fight poverty, a real social problem, and leave Prozac alone.