A government inquiry charged with defusing the controversy surrounding widely prescribed anti-depressant drugs has been criticised after it emerged that most of the members have shareholdings or other links to the manufacturers.

The "intensive review" of the side effects of Seroxat, Prozac and other antidepressants of the SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) class was announced in the House of Commons by health minister Hazel Blears in December last year.