Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is certainly new—but is it effective? It took the FDA a long time to make up its mind, but eventually it approved the treatment in May 2005. (For more details on why the FDA flip-flopped on the issue, see “FDA Approval of VNS,” this issue.) In this article, we scrutinize the two pivotal studies leading to approval.
If, after reviewing our admittedly lukewarm evaluation of the VNS data, you decide that you want to offer it to your patients, here’s some useful information.
Most psychiatrists pretty much agree that all antidepressants are more or less equally effective. So if you start with that premise and you have 10-15 antidepressants out there, why are you picking one versus another? And what algorithm are we all using? Dr. Zimmerman developed a questionnaire for psychiatrists to fill out immediately after they wrote antidepressant prescriptions. We asked, “What influenced you to choose that medication?”
Daniel Carlat, MDDr. Carlat has disclosed that he has no significant relationships with or financial interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.
A typical psychiatrist spends 20 to 30 minutes with patients during medication visits. Those rare birds who still do therapy can devote 40 to 50 minutes. Either way, that’s not a lot of time in comparison to the rest of our patients’ lives, nor in comparison to the size of their problems.
John Gray, Ph.D.
Consulting Editor, The Family Journal
Author, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from VenusDr. Gray has disclosed that he has no significant relationships with or financial interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.
Greetings Dr. Gray. Your book, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, has become a classic self-help book for couples seeking to improve their relationships. I understand that you had published another similar book before this one?
Daniel Carlat, MDDr. Carlat has disclosed that he has no significant relationships with or financial interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.
We couldn’t quite fit all of our reviews into this issue. Listed below are some more excellent books, all of which qualified for “honorable mention.”