Negative Antidepressant Drug Trials Tucked Quietly Away
Last week I posted an entry about the negative supplement report released last month in the Harvard Men’s Health Watch newsletter.
In that post I made mention of the fact that over the years there has been research and studies released which have “been ’sponsored’ by those with ‘anti-supplement vested interests’, such as Big Pharma, where the final conclusion has been pre-determined before the study even begins!”
So today I thought I would tell you about another NASTY behavior of pharmaceutical drug companies – HIDING NEGATIVE DRUG STUDIES!
In January this year researchers reported that almost a third of antidepressant studies are never published (anywhere) and almost all these hidden studies show that the drug being tested did not work!
This behavior is known as the “file drawer effect” and it is believed to have been going on for years.
A research team of the Oregon Health and Science University reported in the New England Journal of Medicine that unfavorable results have also been altered in some studies to make it appear that the drug is more effective than it really is.
This of course has serious and potentially deadly consequences for the public because doctors rely on published studies to help guide them in which medicines they prescribe to patients.
The researchers found 74 studies that were started for the 12 antidepressants and that 38 produced positive results for the drug they dealt with. It’s no surprise that 37 of these were subsequently published.
BUT…
The remaining 36 studies showed negative or questionable results (as assessed by the FDA.) Of these only 3 were published and 11 more were written up and published in a way that conveyed the outcome that the drug had worked!
See what we’re up against when it comes to the power and influence of greedy pharmaceutical companies!
As an example:
Antidepressant and Company Name
Paxil GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
7 negatives studies. 5 never published
Wellbutrin GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
3 studies found. 2 were negative. Both never published
Zoloft Pfizer
5 studies found. 3 were negative. All 3 never published.
The FDA concluded that a fourth study was ‘questionable’ and this was written up to make it seem that the drug worked.
So, what did the companies say when they were contacted in reference to this?
GSK said they post the data from ALL studies on the Internet!
Pfizer responded that ALL its drug studies are disclosed within a year.
Do you believe them?
Let me know your opinion in the comment section below.
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Tags: antidepressant, big pharma, doctors, file drawer effect, health, longevity, negative drug studies, pharmaceutical, supplement
