Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is the “progenitor” of anxiety disorders, but it is at risk of being marginalized and neglected due to a lack of specificity in diagnostic criteria. Evidence suggests that there is still much room for improvement in the treatment of this disorder. The following three charts explore the drug treatment options for GAD from different perspectives. ESC: escitalopram; PAR: paroxetine; DUL: duloxetine; ++: clear advantage; +: possible/some advantage; 0: no advantage; In: insufficient data. II. Drugs in RCTs that can be effective in the treatment of GAD: mechanisms of action III. Australian Compass recommended grades of drugs for the treatment of GAD Literature index: Starcevic V. Generalized anxiety disorder: psychopharmacotherapy update on a common and commonly overlooked condition. Australas Psychiatry. 2015 Aug;23(4):338-42. doi: 10.1177/1039856215587233. epub 2015 May 27.