There’s some great quotes in the Wall Street Journal’s story about the New England Journal of Medicine’s assertion that effectiveness of antidepressants has been exaggerated by selective publication of positive clinical trial results.
The NEJM study reviewed unpublished trial data submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The NEJM research was led by Erick Turner, a psychiatrist at Oregon Health and Science University. Turner previously worked at the FDA where he reviewed psychotropic drugs.
Here’s the best quote in the article from Turner about what he believes are doctor’s attitudes toward prescribing antidepressants.
"There is a view that these drugs are effective all the time," he said. "I would say they only work 40% to 50% of the time," based on his reviews of the research at the FDA, "and they would say, 'What are you talking about? I have never seen a negative study.'"
Who’s view? Do doctors believe that these antidepressants, or any drugs, work 100% of the time? Isn’t 40% to 50% effectiveness considered a successful drug?
