Depressed? Take antidepressants! Um, or not:
But despite selling in vast quantities, a new meta-analysis of these drugs, from data presented to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), appears to suggest that for most patients they do not work. A previous study had indicated that the benefits of antidepressants might be exaggerated.So maybe you should just read blogs instead.[...]
They conclude that, “compared with placebo, the new-generation antidepressants do not produce clinically significant improvements in depression in patients who initially have moderate or even very severe depression”.
[...]
David Healy, a psychiatrist at Cardiff University, UK, specialising in the use of SSRI drugs, says the latest study confirms suspicions that the drugs’ effectiveness had been dramatically overstated.
“Most importantly this new study shows that the people who did respond to the drugs would have responded to placebo, anyway.”
Pointers to this fortnight’s blog carnivals:
- Skeptics’ Circle #81, including “The Power of ‘free’ ”.
- Carnival of the Liberals #59.
- Carnival of the Decline of Democracy #3.03.
- Carnival of Feminists #54, including "The Dinner Party".
- Carnival of Education #159.
- Carnival of Education #160.
- Carnival of Mathematics #27.
- Carnival of the Godless #86.
1 comment:
All of us have different DNA and different metabolisms. Some herbs and vitamins work better than others. The first thing that is needed is proper nutrition and a good physical exam. As the director of Novus Medical Detox, I often see patients who are on alcohol or opioids, central nervous system depressants, also taking antidepressants. When they detox they find they don't need the antidepressants.
This is good news because a Swedish study showed that 52% of the 2006 suicides by women on antidepressants. Since antidepressants work no better than placebos and are less effective than exercise in dealing with depression.
There is a prescription drug epidemic and these are leaders in the list of terrible abuses.
Steve Hayes
http://novusdetox.com
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