Posted by Dopamine123 on February 27, 2008, at 10:41:54
In reply to Re: ADs found to offer little clinical benefit, posted by Cecilia on February 27, 2008, at 5:17:04
http://www.slate.com/id/2182585
"In the rush to bring patented compounds to market, pharmaceutical houses sometimes enroll research subjects who barely meet criteria for the condition under study (in this case, depression). In some early trials, researchers may purposely use low doses; the idea is to squeak by the FDA's minimum efficacy requirements without raising concerns about side effects. Because the subjects do not have the relevant disease, and because normal people's moods wax and wane, these sloppy studies have high placebo response rates. The subjects simply look better over time. And because people without depression (or depressed people on too little drug) may not respond to the medication being tested, true effects are muted. Instead, the study shows an elevated placebo response rate. And then the research tends not to get published, because it's simply not credible."
poster:Dopamine123
thread:814746
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080221/msgs/814943.html