Science, rhetoric and the causality of adverse events.
This paper outlines aspects of the interface between law and science in the domain of treatment induced injury, using examples drawn from litigation on SSRIs. In the face of claims that randomized controlled trials provide uniquely appropriate evidence and that there should be a statistically significant doubling of the risks on treatment, the examples used demonstrate that the methods of assessing the possibility of causal links between treatment and injuries must necessarily be tailored to both the injury and the treatment.
Department of Psychological Medicine, Cardiff University, Hergest Unit, Bangor LL57 2PW, Wales, UK. David.Healy54@googlemail.com
David
D
Healy
D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced; D015984:Causality; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D016365:Liability, Legal; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide; D014481:United States
D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors