As long as studies on antidepressants fail to identify subgroups for which different classes of medication may be more beneficial, disappointing results regarding antidepressant effectiveness are to be expected. Even large-scale naturalistic studies like the STAR*D offer limited guidance because they do not individualize antidepressants from the outset. The algorithm in Depression Consultant, first described at the American Psychiatric Association's annual scientific meeting in May, 2000, and then followed up with additional data at APA meetings in 2005, 2007 and 2009, is a tool designed for that purpose.
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