Biased Search

When I want to learn about a certain drug treatment, I typically begin with a search for mentions of the compound in the scientific literature. If I find a lot of studies, or even a handful, that report that it works, I usually come away thinking that it’s at least a promising candidate.The trouble is, researchers rarely publish accounts of a drug failing. And according to a study published last week in Pediatrics, this publication bias is making antidepressants look like a better option for treating autism than they really are.Although antidepressants have not been specifically approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat autism spectrum disorders, many physicians prescribe them ‘off-label’ to alleviate the repetitive behaviors that are one of the disorder's core features. An estimated 15 to 25 percent of children with autism take a popular type known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, such as Prozac or Celexa.Read more at...SFARI, May 2012.