[How to evaluate side effects in a clinical trial?]

Adverse effects of psychotropic medications must be systematically assessed during a clinical trial. This systematic and mandatory evaluation, for the patient safety first, will also allow to establish for the tested molecule, an efficiency/tolerance ratio which could be compared to preexisting medications, and guide the clinician prescriptions. These side effects are closely related to the pharmacological profile of the tested molecule, in particular its monoamine binding profile. Antipsychotics are taken as an example, with a focus on classical clinical side effects related to each monoamine transmission blocking.
(© L’Encéphale, Paris, 2016.)