Fluoxetine Efficacy in Social Phobia

Letter to the Editor

Sir: The serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are
establishing themselves as useful medications for the treatment
of social phobia. While none are FDA approved for this indication,
open reports and controlled trials suggest efficacy for all
members of this class. More than 2 years ago, Ringold described
two patients with social phobia who were successfully
treated with paroxetine after failing to respond to fluoxetine
and sertraline. Likewise, a patient I have been treating also
showed a preferential response to one of the SSRIs, but in this
case it was fluoxetine.