US R&D efforts on mental health diseases

A record 301 new medicines are being developed for mental illnesses in the USA, according to a new report released by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), at an event in Louisiana featuring the award-winning actor Joe Pantoliano who has publicly admitted to suffering from depression. Nationwide, the PhRMA claims, mental illnesses affect nearly 60 million US adults.

The decision to launch a report into the efforts of the pharmaceutical industry to develop new mental health drugs in the southern US state of Louisiana was taken because rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide have increased since hurricanes Katrina and Rita, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Mental disorders after a natural disaster usually decrease with time, with about 50% of post-traumatic mental disorders resolved within a year of a disaster, according to a recent Harvard University study cited by the report's authors. However, in the case of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the researchers found the contrary: anxiety or mood disorder has been increasing by 30% and more.

The PhRMA's senior vice president, Ken Johnson, said:"we are releasing this report in Louisiana in view of the upcoming third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the state's continuing need for assistance in treating mental illness. The medicines being developed treat a range of conditions, from depression to anxiety, and from schizophrenia to dependence on alcohol and drugs. These medicines are either in clinical trials or awaiting review by the US Food and Drug Administration, and they will help patients live longer, happier, and healthier lives. It's important for patients and health care providers to know that research into mental illness remains a top priority."