[The relationship between the placebo effect and spontaneous improvement in research on antidepressants. Are placebos powerless?].
Clinical trials of antidepressant medications have generally found large changes in groups given a placebo, which may be due to either spontaneous remission or a true placebo effect. This paper reviews the evidence for a true placebo effect in the treatment of unipolar depressed outpatients. Although there is no evidence from experimental studies, a rather substantial amount of circumstantial evidence indicates a true placebo effect. This article raises the question of whether it is meaningful to require experimental evidence for a loose and unspecified concept involving varying components such as placebo.
Hougaard
Esben
E
Aarhus Universitet, Psykologisk Institut, Arhus C. esbenh@psy.au.dk
D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D015990:Placebo Effect; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous
D000928:Antidepressive Agents