Reader Comments

Post a new comment on this article

Maybe not really a placebo condition...

Posted by DrDave on 18 Mar 2009 at 22:51 GMT

Study participants respond to an ad, "are your depressed? This is a medical problem and we may have a medical solution." They are extensively interviewed "how do you feel?" by a lab coated, stethoscope wielding doctor who must make a diagnosis. They are again interviewed weekly (to make sure the drug isn't killing them, of course). They are given depression rating scales and a lot of attention. Placebo? No, sounds more like psychotherapy.