Will New FDA-Approved Drugs Help Alleviate America's Mental Health Crisis?

Will New FDA-Approved Drugs Help Alleviate America's Mental Health Crisis?

The deaths of Robin Williams and child star Sawyer Sweeten have brought the mental health crisis in the US into focus. Although there has been a growing debate about whether mental illness is receiving the attention and health care costs needed to effectively treat those affected, there may be new hope on the horizon.

One of the most important mental illnesses is Major Depressive Disorders (MDD). As defined by Mayoclinic.org, MDD, also known as clinical depression, is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. In severe cases, it causes suicidal thoughts and depression, which are accompanied by delusions or hallucinations that may include themes of personal inadequacy or negative themes. There are approximately 15 million adults with MDD in the United States, and many of them remain without treatment due to a lack of understanding, health insurance reasons, cost, and access to medical care. Mental health resources are scarce across the country. Unfortunately, current therapies and treatments are not always effective for many care recipients and often result in discontinuation of medical care with potentially dangerous results.

However, some major pharmaceutical companies have poured money into research and have promising pipelines. Companies like Lundbeck A/S have focused their research and development efforts on developing new and innovative medicines to treat brain diseases with some positive results. According to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), in 2014, American biopharmaceutical research companies developed 119 novel drugs to improve the lives of people with mental disorders. The drugs in development are all either in clinical trials or under review by the Food and Drug Administration. Some of these drugs are expected to come to market soon, such as Rexulti® (brexpiprazole), which will help treat MDD and schizophrenia and is expected to reach the public in August 2015. It is hoped that these new medications will help reduce costs and access barriers to treatment.

The result is that the mental health system in the United States is a multibillion-dollar industry that is still not large or effective enough to care for everyone who needs it, but it is working to get there. Mental illness and addiction issues are an unfortunate growth industry, not only in the pharmaceutical world, but treatment and care centers are also taking off as the stigma of the disease disappears and improved health insurance allows for greater access.

Inspired by Lisa M Manley