Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New 'Rapid Treatment' Depression Drug Similar To Ketamine Gets Endorsement From FDA Panel
The New York Times: F.D.A. Panel Recommends New Depression Treatment
In a move that may clear the way for the first new treatment in years for depression, an expert panel recommended on Tuesday that federal regulators approve a nasal spray that delivers the active ingredients of ketamine, a popular club drug in the 1980s and 1990s. The new drug, called Esketamine and developed by Johnson & Johnson, is aimed at people with severe depression, particularly those with suicidal thinking. (Carey, 2/12)
Stat: Depression Drug Related To Ketamine Wins Endorsement Of Advisory Panel
In a 14-to-2 vote, the panel said the benefits of the Johnson & Johnson drug, known as esketamine, outweigh the risks. The vote brings the novel type of rapid-acting treatment for depression one step closer to approval. The drug — delivered in a nasal spray — is related to the anesthetic ketamine. If approved, it would be the first major depression treatment approved in decades. The drug was tested in combination with oral antidepressants as a therapy for treatment-resistant depression. (Thielking, 2/12)
The Washington Post: Three Teen Suicides In Eight Months Have Devastated This Midwest Village
In June, the death of 16-year-old DeAnte Bland jolted the rural village of Kingsley — population 1,600 in northwest Michigan. Four months later, 14-year-old Kayden Stone’s death sent shock waves again through the close-knit community. Then, Shealynn Pobuda, also 14, died in early February and the community met its breaking point. Eight months, three teenagers, three suicides. “Everyone was devastated,” said Keith Smith, the superintendent of Kingsley Area Schools. “This is a small community, and not only do we all know each other, we all know each others’ kids.” (Thebault, 2/13)
The New York Times: Exercise May Help To Fend Off Depression
Jogging for 15 minutes a day, or walking or gardening for somewhat longer, could help protect people against developing depression, according to an innovative new study published last month in JAMA Psychiatry. The study involved hundreds of thousands of people and used a type of statistical analysis to establish, for the first time, that physical activity may help prevent depression, a finding with considerable relevance for any of us interested in maintaining or bolstering our mental health. (Reynolds, 2/13)
Los Angeles Times: L.A. County Supervisors Vote To Replace Men's Central Jail With Mental Health Hospital For Inmates
Los Angeles County supervisors narrowly approved a plan Tuesday to tear down the dungeon-like Men’s Central Jail downtown and build at least one mental health treatment facility in its place. The new plan modifies a $2.2-billion proposal that would have created the Consolidated Correctional Treatment Facility, which was slated to house 3,885 “inmate patients” in a rehabilitation-focused center in the footprint of the Central Jail, which was built in 1963. (Lau, 2/12)
