The Emperor's New Drugs: Exploding the Antidepressant Myth - Softcover

Kirsch, Irving

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1847920837 ISBN 13: 9781847920836

Publisher: Bodley Head, 2009

Synopsis

Kirsch, a professor of psychology, has written an exposé of the antidepressants industry by looking at the clinical trials that have been withheld from publication indicating that these medications are not much better than placebos, with serious side effects.

About this title

About the Author

Irving Kirsch is a lecturer in medicine at the Harvard Medical School and a professor of psychology at Plymouth University, as well as professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Hull, and the University of Connecticut. He has published eight books and numerous scientific articles on placebo effects, antidepressant medication, hypnosis, and suggestion. His work has appeared in Science, Science News, New Scientist, New York Times, Newsweek, and BBC Focus and many other leading magazines, newspapers, and television documentaries.

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. When he began a new research project on antidepressants and placebos (a "meta-analysis" of a large number of published studies), practicing psychotherapist and research psychologist Kirsch (How Expectancies Shape Experience) was surprised to uncover evidence that inadequate supervision by the FDA had allowed pharmaceutical companies to cherry-pick test results for publication and submission to the feds, suppressing unwanted outcomes; further, apparent evidence of active drugs' effectiveness when compared to placebos could often be attributed to patients correctly guessing which group they were in based on the side effects (or the lack thereof) they had come to expect in conjunction with anti-depressants. When his results were published in early 2008, Kirsch was surprised to find himself and his research the subject of front page newspaper stories, TV and radio coverage, and a vigorous debate in the medical community that continues to this day. Writing with a broad audience in mind, Kirsch expands on this important topic in a lively style with clear, cogent explanations of the science involved, and many examples of the differences between solid and flawed research. The result is a fascinating book with broad implications for science policy.

Edition details

• Publisher: Bodley Head
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1847920837
• ISBN 13: 9781847920836
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256