Drugs that do not work – and prospects for personalised solutions

[allen green]

The media have given a lot of attention this week to recent research reporting that anti-depressants are ineffective in the majority of patients.

PHG Foundation | Drugs that do not work – and prospects for personalised solutions

[jacob]

I've seen some criticism in the form that the study was intentionally published freely and covered very wide by the media in order for change what people will be prescribed by the psychiatrists and that big pharma wanted that in order to sell more other drugs.

Of course this might be just another conspiracy theory. I'm not sure what to think. But in any way, the increase in the anti-depressants being prescribed must not be that good, especially in children.

I've read increasing reports of lowering the age of children who could be prescribed psychiatric drugs. I believe that other methods should be more appropriate.

[jurplesman]

Well here is a reference by psychiatrists themselves who acknowledge that only about 40% of patients with mood disorders may benefit from medication leaving about 60% with "treatment resistant depression".

Beyond Efficacy: The STAR*D Trial, Am J Psychiatry 163:5-7, January 2006 by Insel, TR (2006),