Study: Depression Drugs Only Work For Major Depression
A new study found that most depression medications work only for severely depressed patients. For mildly or moderately depressed patients, a placebo did just as well.
Some widely prescribed drugs for depression provide relief in extreme cases but are no more effective than placebo pills for most patients, according to a new analysis released Tuesday.
The findings could help settle a longstanding debate about antidepressants. While the study does not imply that the drugs are worthless for anyone with moderate to serious depression -- many such people do seem to benefit -- it does provide one likely explanation for the sharp disagreement among experts about the drugs' overall effectiveness.
Taken together, previous studies have painted a confusing picture. On one hand, industry-supported trials have generally found that the drugs sharply reduce symptoms. On the other, many studies that were not initially published, or were buried, showed no significant benefits compared with placebos.
The new report, appearing in The Journal of the American Medical Association, reviews data from previous trials on two types of drugs and finds that their effectiveness varies according to the severity of the depression being treated.
Previous analyses had found a similar pattern. But the new study is the first to analyze responses from hundreds of people being treated for more moderate symptoms, as are most people who seek care.
"I think the study could dampen enthusiasm for antidepressant medications a bit, and that may be a good thing," said Dr. Erick H. Turner, a psychiatrist at Oregon Health and Science University. "People's expectations for the drugs won't be so high, and doctors won't be surprised if they’re not curing every patient they see with medications."
Apparently there have been many studies which showed a dubious effect of the most popular anti-depressive drugs which showed limited or no effect. But those studies were mostly ignored or buried. This new study shines a light on the issue. There is no question that the drugs work for some people, so the authors of the study said people should not stop taking their medication. But it seems clear that the most popular class of drugs for depression aren't the cure-all that was once thought. For mild to moderate depression, the analysis said that exercise and therapy worked as well as drug therapy -- for most people.
The drugs studied included Paxil, which is a SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) and an older drug, Imipramine, which is a tricyclic.
