In her March 2002 editorial, Dr Moncrieff raises doubts about the efficacy of antidepressant drugs, and argues that side-effects of the active drug may explain some of the differences owing to the associated increased expectancy of a positive effect. Our 24-week study (Malt et al, 1999) comparing the efficacy of empathic primarycare counselling and support combined with placebo, a selective ser...
