Skip to content
Surprising Science

The “Right” Story About Depression

Depression is a major public health problem. Policymakers, treatment providers, and patients need unbiased research and responsible dissemination of information by the press.
Sign up for the Smarter Faster newsletter
A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Psychology professor Robert DeRubeis talks about “being taken out of context” on research findings including that antidepressants show almost no advantage in reducing symptoms in patients with non-chronic ‘mild’ or ‘moderate’ major depressive disorder — the majority of those to whom antidepressants are marketed. “Policymakers, treatment providers, and patients need unbiased research to inform treatment questions; responsible dissemination of this information by the press is critical. We will make progress only if we question current practices, fear no data, and resolve to address important questions with rigorous, clinically informative research.”

Sign up for the Smarter Faster newsletter
A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Related
The integration of artificial intelligence into public health could have revolutionary implications for the global south—if only it can get online.

Up Next