Wednesday, August 04, 2004

Eli Lilly Wins US Approval for New Depression Drug`
Brief Reuters Health story at Medscape - "Eli Lilly & Co. on Wednesday said U.S. regulators have approved its new antidepressant, Cymbalta (duloxetine). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the drug is both safe and effective in treating major depression, the company reported in a statement. Cymbalta is a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. In this respect, it is similar to Wyeth's Effexor XR, rather than SSRIs such as Lilly's Prozac..." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Atypical Antipsychotics Increasingly Used in Children
Reuters Health story at Medscape - "Atypical antipsychotic drugs are increasingly being prescribed for children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and affective disorders, investigators report. However, there is little evidence that the benefits of treatment outweigh the risk. Dr. William O. Cooper and associates at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, reviewed medical records of children enrolled between 1996 and 2001 in Tennessee's expanded Medicaid program to identify new users of atypical antipsychotics, such as risperidone and olanzapine. During this period, 6803 children became new users, approximately doubling from 23 per 10,000 in 1996 to 45 per 10,000 in 2001." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Proposed beds for mental health may move patients out of ER (South Carolina)
WISTV story - "State Mental Health Director George Gintoli testified before the Mental Health Commission on Tuesday about his plan to have 70 new beds up and running statewide by early October, '$2 million of mental health funds is going to create new beds.' Twenty-two beds would be created in the Upstate at a mental health hospital in Anderson. Thirty-two beds will be established in community mental health facilities state wide and 20 beds still have to be identified."  
  

State cuts worry mental health providers (New Hampshire)
Union Leader story - "The state’s decision to cut funding for two peer support centers and a family support group has mental health advocates worried. The state canceled two contracts with peer support centers in Merrimack County that provide a place for the mentally ill to meet and talk. The state also has announced it will not renew a $500,000 contract for family support services with the New Hampshire chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill..."  
  

Patient safety programme to safeguard mental health service users UK
Medical News Today story - "A project to improve the safety of mental health service users by creating a safer environment on acute psychiatric wards was announced today by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA). This is the first project in an extensive programme of work developed by the NPSA to ensure that services for people with mental ill-health in England and Wales are provided in the safest way possible..."  
  

Patients kept in dark about care (UK)
BBC story - "Many NHS patients say they are not involved enough in decisions about their care, a survey reveals. The Healthcare Commission quizzed 300,000 patients and found most wanted more input into their care, especially those with a mental illness. Of 27,000 people using mental health services, 15% said they did not have enough say in care decisions and 44% only had a say to some extent. Nearly a fifth said their diagnosis had not been discussed with them..."