RT Journal
T1 THis month in archives of general psychiatry
JF Archives of General Psychiatry
JO Archives of General Psychiatry
YR 2000
FD April 1
VO 57
IS 4
SP 310
OP 310
DO 10.1001/archpsyc.57.4.310
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.57.4.310
AB 
During the past decade several new antidepressants have gotten to market, and potential antidepressants continue to be evaluated in double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials. Scientists, ethicists, and the public have raised concern about risks and ethics of treating depressed patients with placebo. Khan et alArticle examined the Food and Drug Administration database for antidepressants approved during the past 10 years to assess the frequency of suicides, suicide attempts, and symptom reduction in depressed patients assigned to placebo. Rates of suicide and attempted suicide did not differ for placebo-treated vs antidepressant-treated patients. Placebo-treated patients experienced substantial reduction in symptoms. These data may help inform discussions about the use of placebo in antidepressant clinical trials.