Children and Psychotropic Drugs: How Good is the Evidence?

The Rx Generation: Alternatives to the Use of Psychiatric Medications with Children

Conference: Children and Psychotropic Drugs: How Good is the Evidence?

Steve Balt, MD

Research on psychotropic medications is essential for prescribers to use drugs properly and safely — and for regulatory authorities to approve these drugs for public use. Unfortunately, published research is often heavily biased and, even in the best of cases, subjects in these studies do not reflect those in our practices. Translating research findings to clinical practice — a cornerstone of what we call “evidence-based medicine” — is problematic and often misguided.