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Benzodiazepines: it's time to return to the evidence.
Edward Silberman1, Richard Balon2, Vladan Starcevic3
1Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science
|October 12, 2020
Summary
Current psychiatric literature shows negative bias in benzodiazepine discussions, deviating from scientific evidence. We urge a return to evidence-based commentary with clear definitions for accurate benzodiazepine discourse.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
- Medical Literature Analysis
Background:
- Current psychiatric literature exhibits a trend of negative bias in discussions surrounding benzodiazepines.
- This bias appears to have diverged from the established scientific evidence base regarding these medications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the nature and extent of bias in current psychiatric literature concerning benzodiazepines.
- To advocate for a return to evidence-based discussions and rigorous conceptualization of benzodiazepines.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and critical analysis of recent psychiatric publications on benzodiazepines.
- Assessment of the alignment between published commentary and empirical scientific evidence.
Main Results:
- Identified a significant negative bias in the discourse on benzodiazepines within the psychiatric literature.
- Observed a departure from the scientific evidence base in numerous commentaries.
Conclusions:
- The current discourse on benzodiazepines in psychiatric literature is negatively biased and lacks scientific rigor.
- A return to evidence-based principles and clear definitions is essential for accurate benzodiazepine discussions.
Keywords:
Anti-anxiety drugsanxiety disorderscomorbiditydrug interactions and side-effectsdrugs of dependenceMore Related Videos
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