A recent study of antidepressant medication trials compared the drugs' published outcomes with all studies registered with the FDA.A recent study of antidepressant antidepressant, any of a wide range of drugs used to treat psychic depression. They are given to elevate mood, counter suicidal thoughts, and increase the effectiveness of psychotherapy. medication trials compared the drugs' published outcomes with all studies registered with the FDA FDAabbr. Food and Drug Administration FDA, n.pr See Food and Drug Administration. FDA, n.pr the abbreviation for the Food and Drug Administration. . The findings indicate that one-third (31%) of the registered studies were unpublished. Interestingly, studies with negative or questionable results (judged by FDA standards) were more likely to be either unpublished or, when published, to convey false and misleadingly positive outcomes. Publishing only positive results makes drugs appear to be more effective than they are, when both published and unpublished results are combined. For example, published literature on the anti-depressant drugs reviewed indicated that 94% of the trials had positive outcomes. Yet, the FDA analysis of all trials (published and unpublished studies) showed just 51% of trials had positive results. Such selective reporting and data manipulation Processing data. poses great risks for potential adverse effects for consumers, study participants, and researchers. The New England Journal of Medicine The New England Journal of Medicine (New Engl J Med or NEJM) is an English-language peer-reviewed medical journal published by the Massachusetts Medical Society. It is one of the most popular and widely-read peer-reviewed general medical journals in the world. , JANUARY January: see month. 17, 2008 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion