HOW SOUND IS THE DOUBLE-BLIND DESIGN FOR EVALUATING PSYCHOTROPIC-DRUGS

Authors
FISHER S GREENBERG RP
Citation
S. Fisher et Rp. Greenberg, HOW SOUND IS THE DOUBLE-BLIND DESIGN FOR EVALUATING PSYCHOTROPIC-DRUGS, The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 181(6), 1993, pp. 345-350
Citations number
42
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry,Psychiatry,"Clinical Neurology
Journal title
The Journal of nervous and mental disease → ACNP
ISSN journal
00223018
Volume
181
Issue
6
Year of publication
1993
Pages
345 - 350
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-3018(1993)181:6<345:HSITDD>2.0.ZU;2-C
Abstract
Sufficient data have accumulated to raise serious doubts about the int egrity of the double-blind design that is presumed to shield psychotro pic drug trials from bias and expectations. A major deficit in most dr ug trials has been the use of inert rather than active placebos. The d eficiencies of the double-blind paradigm call for a questioning stance with respect to previous studies of psychotropic drug efficacy. Vario us possible ways of strengthening the double-blind paradigm are review ed.