Depressing News?

I just received a Press release from the good folks at Glaxo Smith Kline basically countering the recent Public Library of Science article which in simple terms cast grave doubts on the efficacy of Anti-Depressant Therapies except in the most severe cases. Please find link below:

http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0050045

The article specifically states that for majority of cases the efficacy of the therapies is nil and that if at all the therapies are not more effective than placebos. Petty strong stuff, based on the seeming emphasis by GP's and Psychiatrists on Anti-Depressive therapies, sometimes to the detriment of alternative therapies.

The GSK response being absolutely objective was quite strong, fair and in my view ought to be read on a credible counter-balance. The key points in the GSK press release are as follows:

a. The study was based on only a very small fraction of the Data available for anti-depressants i.e In the case of Paroxetine- 16 Clinical trials out of a total 170 involving 14000 patients;

b. 10 out of 16 of the Clinical trials referred to reached a score of 3.0 on the NICE clinical threshold;

c. Patients should not abandon their medication in panic without advice from Physicians, as clearly the study is likely to cause panic in the minds of the patients who would be justifiably concerned by the outcome of the study. A copy of the press release is available via this link http://www.gsk.com/media/pressreleases/2008/2008_pressrelease_0011.htm

Now then, my view is that whilst I believe there is some measure of merit to the report I am loathe to accept the air of finality it posits and I would certainly have advocated some measure of caution or indeed a caveat on the findings posited.

Not for one second do I think this story is over, clearly the manufacturers are going to react and rightly so. The effect of this study is too important not to have a considered and comprehensive consideration and we await the same with interest.