A rapid, Web-based method for obtaining patient views on effects and side-effects of antidepressants

Carlos Rizoa, Amol Deshpandea, Alton Inga and Neil Seeman report:

The method entails a systematized search of many URLs (Uniform Resource Locators, or Web page addresses), using keywords and phrases to extract the named drug and symptom that are reliably relevant to the medication being taken by the individual reporting the experience online.

Given the increasing number of patient narratives about drug experiences on open-access Web forums, this rapid novel method will have increasing utility in post-marketing surveillance and in comparing the effects of psychiatric medications.

J Affect Disord http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2010.07.027

(via @psydir and Neuroskeptic)

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I think it has more potential for post-marketing surveillance than comparing medications, since the methodology is anecdotal.