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Antidepressant Studies Distort Drugs' Usefulness

New study says negative reports often go unpublished

By Wesley Oliver,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 16, 2008 9:37 PM CST
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(Newser) – Roughly half of the medical studies involving antidepressants that found little or no effect on patients have gone unpublished or had their findings mischaracterized as positive, a new study reveals. The emphasis on publishing only studies with glowing reviews gives patients and doctors a false sense of the effectiveness of drugs such as Zoloft and Effexor, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Of 74 studies submitted by pharmaceutical companies to the FDA between 1987 and 2004, 36 found negative results. Of those, all but three never got published or were published only after they presented negative findings as positive. The report’s lead researcher, a former FDA reviewer, said even ex-colleagues were unaware of the negative literature. "There is a view that these drugs are effective all the time," he said. "I would say they only work 40% to 50% of the time."

Researchers found that Zoloft was closer to having a small effect for people taking it when all of the data is considered. When primarily positive results are all that is published, the drug was shown to have an increased effect closer to medium, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Researchers found that Zoloft was closer to having a "small" effect for people taking it when all of the data is considered. When primarily positive results are all that is published, the drug was shown...   (Getty Images)
Numerous unpublished studies submitted to the Food and Drug Administration by pharmaceutical companies have found that many popular antidepressants have little or no effect on patients, according to a new review of the previously hidden findings, the Wall Street Journal reports. (AP GRAPHIC)
Numerous unpublished studies submitted to the Food and Drug Administration by pharmaceutical companies have found that many popular antidepressants have little or no effect on patients, according to a...   (Associated Press)
Doctors and patients are getting a distorted view of the effectiveness of blockbuster anti-depressants like Wyeth's Effexor, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Doctors and patients are getting a distorted view of the effectiveness of blockbuster anti-depressants like Wyeth's Effexor, the Wall Street Journal reports.   (Getty Images)
While an overwhelming amount of data says antidepressants are effective, numerous studies say otherwise, the Wall Street Journal says.
While an overwhelming amount of data says antidepressants are effective, numerous studies say otherwise, the Wall Street Journal says.   (Getty Images)
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FDA • antidepressant • pharmaceutical companies • Pfizer • New England Journal of Medicine • patients • doctor • Zoloft • Wyeth • Effexor

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