Welcome to the website of the
Prof. Dr. Anton J.M. Loonen
Foundation
Welcome to the website of the Prof. Dr Anton J.M. Loonen Foundation.
This is the seventh blog post on the foundation’s website. New to the site is an editorial in which I offer a fundamental critique of the conclusions reached by Kevin P. Kennedy et al. (doi: 10.1097/JCP.0000000000002025).
In their systematic review, these authors put forward a view that is diametrically opposed to my own.
They argue that the protocol of the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) study is flawed because the individual steps cannot be substantiated by the results of randomised clinical trials (RCTs).
They caution against attaching too much importance to pragmatic studies such as STAR*D and advocate for more RCTs with newly developed antidepressants.
In my editorial, I highlight the inaccuracy of their arguments and point out that the same evidence can be used to justify precisely the non-use of this type of RCT in daily clinical practice.
I am aware that this is certainly not the first time this has been said, but I always think it is good to reiterate the limitations of RCTs.
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