Does St John's Wort Have a Significant Effect in Treating Major

question 7

Multiple Choice

Does St. John's wort have a significant effect in treating major depression? A study looked at 340 adult outpatients suffering from major depression as measured by their HAM-D score, randomly assigning each subject to either a placebo, St. John's wort, or a second active treatment for comparison.
The study found the difference in treating major depression as measured by improvement in HAM-D scores between St. John's wort and the placebo was not statistically significant. This means that:

• A) we cannot make a 95 percent confidence statement.
• B) a difference this big could easily occur just by chance even if St. John's wort does no better than the placebo.
• C) the placebo makes no difference in the subjects' depression.
• D) the study was badly designed.

---

Definitions:

Homogenization

The process of making things uniform or similar by blending or removing differences.

Reality TV Shows

Television programs that feature non-actors in real-life or staged situations, intended for entertainment rather than informational content.

National Versions

Variations or adaptations of a concept, product, or media content tailored to fit the cultural, legal, or linguistic preferences of different countries.

McDonaldization

A term referring to the process by which principles of fast food restaurants, such as efficiency, predictability, and control, come to dominate more sectors of society and the economy.