Tapering Effexor (venlafaxine) and Pristiq (desvenlafaxine)
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About the Event
Join us for the next installment in Outro’s Tapering Series, featuring Dr. Mark Horowitz, Scientific Co-Founder of Outro Health, for a focused discussion on Effexor (venlafaxine) and Pristiq (desvenlafaxine)—two of the most challenging antidepressants to discontinue.
Known for their short half-lives and dual action on serotonin and norepinephrine, Effexor and Pristiq are associated with some of the most severe and persistent withdrawal symptoms reported by patients. In this session, Dr. Horowitz will explore the science behind those symptoms, why these medications are uniquely difficult to stop, and how Outro applies a hyperbolic tapering model to improve patient safety and outcomes.
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🧠 What You’ll Learn
Why Effexor and Pristiq cause some of the most intense antidepressant withdrawal experiences
The neurobiology of SNRI discontinuation and how these drugs differ from SSRIs
What makes tapering these medications so difficult in real-world practice
How hyperbolic tapering minimizes withdrawal symptoms and supports long-term success
How Outro’s virtual clinic model supports stepwise, clinician-guided discontinuation
🎙️ Presenters
Dr. Mark Horowitz, MBBS, PhD
Dr. Horowitz is a Clinical Research Fellow in Psychiatry with the NHS, Visiting Lecturer at King’s College London, and Co-Founder of Outro Health. He is the lead author of the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines and co-author of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ guidelines on stopping antidepressants. His work has reshaped how clinicians and systems approach psychiatric medication discontinuation.
Emma Frati
Emma is a member of the Outro Health team with lived experience of psychiatric polypharmacy during her time at Columbia University. She holds a degree in Behavioral Neuroscience and has worked across psychedelic and wearables research, sleep science, harm reduction, and biotech consulting. Emma brings a unique patient-centered perspective to discussions about tapering and mental health.
About Outro
Outro is a virtual care platform specializing in safe, personalized, antidepressant tapering. Our clinicians use hyperbolic tapering—a neuroscience-backed approach—to help patients discontinue psychiatric medications with greater safety and attention to withdrawal symptoms. Learn more at www.outro.com.