Assessing the efficacy of antianxiety agents.

Proper evaluation of anxiolytic therapy, involving the possible use of rating scales as well as the physician's skill in observation and communication, is essential in identifying the most appropriate treatment for a given patient and facilitating the management of therapy. These issues are discussed herein, using the clinical trials of buspirone, a new, nonsedating antianxiety agent, as a model for the process of drug selection.