Accurate Meta-Analytical Assessment of "True Antidepressant Effects" Needed

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Sir: In their recent article, Posternak and Zimmerman¹ questionwhether there is a several-week delay in “true antidepressanteffect.” They propose to address this issue by ameta-analysis to determine (1) “whether significant drugplaceboseparation occurs during the first 2 weeks of treatment”and (2) “whether the timing of response to antidepressant medicationand placebo is distinct.”^1(p148)Since the issue centers on “true antidepressant effects,” measuresand analyses must address this salient point.