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This trial will set a better standard for figuring out how to
study complementary and alternative practices, because we�ve picked patients carefully,
and we�ve used rigorous end points. In this study, we�ve used the Hamilton Depression
Scale as the primary end point and the change in that, and as a second end point, the rate
of complete response, total amelioration of all depressive features in the clinical global
impression scale and the HAM-D scale. This is the way you study anti-depressants. Note:
See Hypericum Depression Trial Study Group. Effect of Hypericum perforatum (St.
John's wort) in major depressive disorder: a randomized, controlled trial. JAMA,
2002; 287:1807-1814. Full-text of the article is available on the JAMA website at www.jama.com. In
short, this NIH-funded study shows that an extract of the herb St. John's wort was no more
effective for treating major depression of moderate severity than placebo. |
