A university went to great lengths to block the release of information about a trial gone wrong. A reporter fought them and revealed the truth.

Sorry, not PACE.

https://retractionwatch.com/2018/07...-reporter-fought-them-and-revealed-the-truth/

 

But they might be worried to hear that grants had to be repaid.

 

Just in case she could be interested for more, I sent her an invitation to look into the PACE trial.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1014297732322856960

 

There was a programme on the BBC recently about antidepressents in children and it covered one where the medication was causing more problems. After getting the clinical trial data released it was discovered that there was actually no benefit of using the medication in children and it was actually quite dangerous. researchers got hold of 77,000 pages of previously undisclosed data from the Paxil study. They reanalyzed the original trial findings and published their results in 2015. Paxil, they found, was not only ineffective in treating adolescent depression when compared to placebo—it was dangerous. The paper that was published by the drug company though they hadn't focussed on these issues!

While just looking for info on this I found this article which lists other similar cases https://academic.oup.com/bmb/article/116/1/43/400796

 

Yes, i watched this.
Two points that sunk in were

Little research had actually been done on the effect and efficacy of these drugs in children and adolescents - the use had been largely justified based on effect in adults ( developing brains are different)
Note that this is not uncommon generally.

The one drug that was effective was not that that tended to be prescribed.

Lack of info given to parents and adolescents re side effects was also highlighted- most were left to read the patient information leaflet inside the drug box....