tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287560491211025099.post1760545285660389813..comments2023-09-22T08:24:01.913-04:00Comments on Antibiotics - The Perfect Storm: Generic Antibiotics: Effective and Safe?David Shlaeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00228776693058791618noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287560491211025099.post-65500003708998965832010-02-27T10:11:07.441-05:002010-02-27T10:11:07.441-05:00Clinical response at a set timepoint. For bronchi...Clinical response at a set timepoint. For bronchitis this is well demonstrated in the Cochrane database article. I believe the same could be done for otitis and sinusitis. In fact, for sinusitis, there is already a nice study showing benefit for antibiotic at a set timepoint. <br /><br />Antidepressants are different. They do not cure the disease or hasten its cure. They relieve symptoms and frequently have to be taken for prolonged periods of time. Antibiotics cure the disease. It is true that there is a large placebo effect in the anti-depressant trials related to the natural waxing and waning of symptoms in chronic depression. There may also be a role for our poor diagnostic acumen for depression in this. But I actually am convinced that antidepressants work and that there, you absolutely have to have a placebo arm in the trials. Comparative trials would be helpful for antidepressants as well allowing us to gauge relative benefits of one drug vs. another.David Shlaeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00228776693058791618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4287560491211025099.post-52155662795208983482010-02-05T20:19:22.202-05:002010-02-05T20:19:22.202-05:00Dave, what would be a feasible trial design for a ...Dave, what would be a feasible trial design for a self-limiting infection like ABECB, otitis, etc? Do you think there should be no placebo control? Presumably you believe that antibiotics do make a difference - in speed of improvement? Reading this week's article in Newsweek on the lack of effectiveness of anti-depression agents [relative to placebo] gave me pause. In that case it does appear that the drugs are acting via a placebo effect - and that the apparent side effects of the drugs encourage patients to believe they are getting the drug, and this may enhance the placebo effect. I would think, on the other hand, that antibiotics do help otitis or bronchitis exacerbations in some way. So, based on what you [or others] think they are doing, how would you structure the trial?lynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06624656162991974750noreply@blogger.com