Antidepressants May Aid Only the Sickest

Some popular drugs for depression may primarily help people who have severe illness, a study suggests. The study looked at combined data from six previous studies. In three studies, people took paroxetine (Paxil) or placebos (fake pills). Three studies used imipramine, an older generic drug of a different type. With either drug, people were more likely to get better if they had severe depression. People with milder symptoms showed little change. The study was in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The New York Times and USA Today wrote about it on January 6.