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Physicians' Preferences in a Blind Trial of Imipramine and Amitriptyline

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Evelyn Reynolds ,
D. F. Craggs ,
M. P. Joyston-Bechal ,
M. J. Pritchard ,
P. H. Tooley  and
M. Weatherall
Evelyn Reynolds
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology, The London Hospital Medical College, Turner Street E.1; now at Department of Psychology, West Ham College of Technology, Romford Road, London, E.15
D. F. Craggs
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, The London Hospital, E.1; now at Hellingly Hospital, Hailsham, Sussex
M. P. Joyston-Bechal
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, The London Hospital, E.1; now at Shenley Hospital, near St. Albans, Herts
M. J. Pritchard
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, The London Hospital Medical College, Turner Street, E.1
P. H. Tooley
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, The London Hospital, E.1
M. Weatherall
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology, The London Hospital Medical College, Turner Street, E.1; now at The Wellcome Research Laboratories, Beckenham, Kent
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Extract

Some investigations suggest that the attitude of a psychiatrist to therapy with drugs may affect his patient's response to treatment (Sheard, 1963; Reynolds, Joyce, Swift, Tooley and Weatherall, 1965), though the evidence is far from conclusive and earlier findings have not always been confirmed by further research (Hordern and Hamilton, 1963; Uhlenhuth and Park, 1964). The possibility that a particular drug may be more effective if administered by a physician who believes it to be superior to alternative drugs appears to have received little attention. Such preferences exist in medical practice. The present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that they have a measurable effect, provided the drug is administered knowingly. The efficacy of the drug of choice of three psychiatrists was therefore compared (a) under single blind and double blind conditions, and (b) with that of alternative medication.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 115 , Issue 527 , October 1969 , pp. 1175 - 1179
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1969 

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References

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