Importance Antidepressant use is rising globally, with increasing duration of real-world prescribing. While the FDA considers 6-8 week trials adequate for regulatory approval, guidelines recommend prolonged treatment. This raises questions about the evidence supporting long-term prescribing practices. Objective To systematically compare the duration of placebo-controlled randomized trials of commonly prescribed antidepressants with real-world usage patterns. Design, Setting, and Participants:...
