Scott Alexander humorously describes his observations at the American Psychiatric Association meeting, highlighting pharmaceutical influence, social justice focus, and historical context of psychiatry. Longer summary

Scott Alexander attends the American Psychiatric Association meeting and shares his observations in a humorous photo-essay. He notes the overwhelming presence of pharmaceutical advertising, the conference's focus on social justice issues, the presence of Scientology protesters and CIA recruiters, and the abundance of new but seemingly unnecessary psychiatric drugs. He reflects on the historical context of psychiatry, including its past political biases and progress over time, while critiquing the current state of the field and its relationship with drug companies and social trends. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander critiques the FDA approval of esketamine for depression, discussing issues with drug development, efficacy, cost, and administration requirements. Longer summary

This post discusses the FDA's approval of esketamine for treatment-resistant depression, highlighting the issues with the pharmaceutical industry's approach to drug development and approval. Scott Alexander explains how companies often make minor changes to existing chemicals to patent them, as in the case of esketamine (a left-handed version of ketamine). He critiques the high cost of esketamine compared to regular ketamine and the FDA's stringent requirements for its administration. The post also questions the efficacy of esketamine based on clinical trials and discusses the inconvenience of the approved delivery method. Scott expresses disappointment that this approval may set a precedent for future psychedelic medicines, making them equally inconvenient and bureaucratic to access. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of links and brief commentaries on topics ranging from ancient calendars to fusion research, social trends, and economic analyses. Longer summary

This post is a collection of links and brief summaries on various topics, including calendar systems, scientific studies, social trends, economics, politics, and technology. Scott Alexander covers a wide range of subjects, from an ancient Persian calendar to fusion power research, social psychology effects, philosophical hiring biases, and economic analyses. The post includes commentary on recent news, scientific findings, and cultural phenomena, often with a touch of humor or skepticism. Shorter summary