Posted by Anyuser on August 27, 2002, at 18:57:38
In reply to Re: Dr. Dave - why do you hate this drug? » moxy1000, posted by dr dave on August 27, 2002, at 16:36:52
What else makes you angry in addition to escitalopram? Wouldn't your statements, which I have excerpted, below, apply with equal force, for example, to nefazodone, St. John's wort, omega-3 oils, anticonvulsants prescribed for depression, or SAMe?
> Why am I saying all this stuff? Because I am angry. My reading of the research is that XXX hasn't been proved to be superior to any anti-depressant. All independent bodies which have assessed the evidence agree, including the FDA Claims for this drug are being made which are just not justified, and they are legitimated by vague referrals to 'positive studies', which when you examine them closely don't really show convincing results.
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> I am angry because I think science is being corrupted. . . .
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> I am so sick of my patients hoping desparately that a new pill will relieve their misery and then being cruelly disappointed when it doesn't, confirming in their own minds that they will never get better. It is monstrous not to tell people the truth about what they can expect from changing antidepressant - of course sometimes it can be miraculous, but you can't guarantee it and you have to be straight with people about the likelihood of a new antidepressant helping. If people believe they are being put on a far superior drug which is very effective against depression, how do they feel when it doesn't work? Often they will feel that it proves they have an untreatably severe condition, so they lose hope, are more depressed, and question whether it's worth continuing to try to change things.
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> So when I see claims being made which I think are as misleading as this, I get angry. This is not about claims for how well a new, improved washing powder works, this is about untold human misery. We must be as truthful and realistic about things as we can possibly be, and that is very, very far from being the case with the marketing of this product.
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poster:Anyuser
thread:109458
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020821/msgs/117975.html