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Review
. 2005 Jul 16;331(7509):155-7.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.331.7509.155.

Efficacy of antidepressants in adults

Joanna Moncrieff  1 , Irving Kirsch
Affiliations
Review

Efficacy of antidepressants in adults

Joanna Moncrieff et al. BMJ. .

Abstract

Most people with depression are initially treated with antidepressants. But how well do the data support their use, and should we reconsider our strategy?

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Figures

Figure 2
Figure 2
Campaigns raising awareness of depression have contributed to increased prescribing of antidepressants
Figure 1
Figure 1
Normal distribution of scores for Hamilton rating scale for depression with mean score of 11.5 for antidepressant and 10.5 for placebo
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • Why stop at antidepressants?
    Hatcher S. Hatcher S. BMJ. 2005 Jul 16;331(7509):158. doi: 10.1136/bmj.331.7509.158. BMJ. 2005. PMID: 16020859 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

References

    1. National Institute for Clinical Excellence. Depression: management of depression in primary and secondary care. Clinical practice guideline No 23. London: NICE, 2004. www.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=235213 (accessed 24 May 2005).
    1. Middleton H, Shaw I, Feder G. NICE guidelines for the management of depression. BMJ 2005;330: 267-8. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Kirsch I. St John's wort, conventional medication and placebo: an egregious double standard. Complement Ther Med 2003;11: 193-5. - PubMed
    1. Khan A, Warner HA, Brown WA. Symptom reduction and suicide risk in patients treated with placebo in antidepressant clinical trials. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2000;57: 311-24. - PubMed
    1. Khan A, Khan SR, Leventhal RM, Brown WA. Symptom reduction and suicide risk in patients treated with placebo antidepressant clinical trials: a replication analysis of the Food and Administration Database. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2001;2: 113-8. - PubMed

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