Nomifensine (Merital, Alival) Controversy

Nomifensine (brand names Merital and Alival) is an antidepressant that inhibits reuptake of two major neurotransmitters of the brain: nor-epinephrine and dopamine. Suppression of norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake results in the accumulation of these molecules within the nerve cells, which in turn facilitates in sending nerve signals to the rest of the body. First introduced to the market in the 1960s, nomifensine was distributed in the United States by the biochemical company, Hoechst AG, which was later named Sanofi-Aventis. Nomifensine has undergone intense scrutiny for 30 years, with reports of increased risk for addiction and hemolytic anemia. The drug was eventually removed from the U.S. market in 1992.

Nomifensine is an antidepressant that was developed in the 1960s as a novel medication that induced the accumulation of the ...