Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Sweeping Study Settles Hot Debate Over Whether Antidepressants Even Work, Researchers Say
Reuters: Study Seeks To End Antidepressant Debate-The Drugs Do Work
A vast research study that sought to settle a long-standing debate about whether or not anti-depressant drugs really work has found they are indeed effective in relieving acute depression in adults. The international study - a meta-analysis pooling results of 522 trials covering 21 commonly-used antidepressants and almost 120,000 patients - uncovered a range of outcomes, with some drugs proving more effective than others and some having fewer side effects. (Kelland, 2/22)
Modern Healthcare: Treatment-Resistant Depression Doubles Patient Healthcare Costs
Patients with major depression that is difficult to treat with traditional antidepressants have higher average costs for mental healthcare and non-mental healthcare compared with those who do respond to medication, and researchers say more should be done to curb those costs. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry on Wednesday found that roughly 16% of patients with major depression have a treatment-resistant form of the disorder and do not respond to two or more antidepressants. That can cost an average of more than $17,000 per year in healthcare expenditures, compared with $9,700 among non-treatment-resistant-depression patients. (Johnson, 2/21)
