Are Antidepressants Better Than Placebo?
SIDNEY MALITZ M.D.1, and
MAUREEN KANZLER PH.D.2
1 Chief of Psychiatric Research, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 722 W. 168th St., New York, N.Y. 10032 and Professor of Clinical Psychiatry in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
2 Associate Research Scientist, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 722 W. 168th St., New York, N.Y. 10032
A study of 203 depressed outpatients who were randomly assigned to one of seven active drug treatment groups or to a placebo group demonstrated that the inclusion of a placebo group is essential for valid assessment of the efficacy of antidepressant drugs. Although all groups improved on depression ratings in relation to their own baselines, only one group achieved a level of improvement that was significantly better than that of the placebo group.
