Healthy Skepticism Library item: 12988

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

Antidepressant study's findings 'not surprising'
ABC News 2008 Feb 26
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/26/2173439.htm?section=justin

Full text:

A clinical advisor to Beyond Blue says he is not surprised by a British study which suggests antidepressants could be largely ineffective.

The study, published in the online journal Public Library of Science Medicine, has found in many cases patients would get as much help by taking a placebo.

Associate Professor Michael Baigent has told ABC Radio’s PM the study confirms what many doctors already know.

“We’ve known that antidepressants don’t help everyone with depression,” he said.

“We’ve known they help with particular forms of depression and particular degrees of severity of depression.”

Jon Jureidini, chairman of non-profit doctors group Healthy Skepticism, says the study highlights the marketing power of big drug companies.

He says drug companies cannot market their products but can advertise depression.

“Any kind of human suffering or distress is want to be reinterpreted as depression,” he said.

“So if you go to your doctor with a complaint of depression, your doctor has meanwhile been courted by the pharmaceutical companies who predispose the doctor then to reach for the prescription pad.”