STAR*D: helping to close the gap between science and practice. 
Practical clinical trials, such as STAR*D (Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression), extend the traditional randomized controlled trial to real-world settings.  Consumers and clinicians should be encouraged by STAR*D's 70% remission rate and should realize that for many participants remission required medication switching and augmentation.  Policy makers should recognize the importance of easy access to a full range of treatments.  Researchers should be sobered by the high attrition rate and the 30% of participants who did not achieve remission.  Although more such practical trials are needed, future work must more meaningfully involve consumers in design, analysis, and interpretation.