Wednesday, December 08, 2004

Regulators Suggest Restricted Use of Drug
Reuters story at Yahoo - "British regulators recommended that physicians restrict the use of the anti-depressant Efexor because its use could have side effects for heart health and pose other risks that require more careful monitoring than its competitors. The drug's manufacturer, Wyeth, said it would challenge the decision. ... Efexor, which is marketed as Effexor in the United States, may cause irregular heart rhythms, withdrawal symptoms and have a higher rate of death from overdose than similar drugs, British regulators said. ... The agency is recommending that only specialists prescribe Efexor and that patients should be continually supervised. The drug should also not be prescribed to patients with heart problems, the agency said..."  
  

Reaching out to students
USA Today story - "All seems idyllic under the windswept trees of college campuses nationwide. But behind the scenes, therapists are scrambling to treat a rising tide of mental and emotional problems among students. Independent research portrays a student body struggling to cope with normal college stressors and chronic conditions alike..."  
  

UK Tightens Antidepressant Rules, Curbs Wyeth Drug
Reuters Health story at Medscape - "British health authorities tightened warnings on selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor antidepressants, or SSRIs, on Monday, urging doctors to use them sparingly and consider non-drug interventions, such as counseling. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, which reviewed the drugs after concerns over their safety, said there should be stronger warnings about the risk of withdrawal reactions after ending a course of treatment. Doctors should also, in most cases, prescribe only the lowest recommended dose of SSRIs, and young adults should be monitored closely as a precautionary measure when being treated, it added. No antidepressant is recommended for the initial treatment of mild depression." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Metyrapone May Be Effective as Additive Treatment of Major Depression
Medscape Medical News story - "Metyrapone is effective as additive treatment for major depression, according to the results of a randomized, double-blind trial published in the December issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Small Steps Could Be Key To Reforming Medicaid
Psychiatric News article - "Governors recognize a host of problems with the Medicaid program, particularly with finding dollars to fund it, and suggest small-scale efforts by state governments to bring about reform. Governors are advocating the power of 'common-sense principles' to maintain the viability of the Medicaid program. Matt Salo, director of the Health and Human Services Committee of the National Governors Association, told attendees at a meeting on prospects for Medicaid reform, 'I want to reassure people that.. .we do not have a Medicaid reform agenda, or proposal, or clandestine work group trying to figure out how best to deal with Medicaid.' "  
  

Hospitals Wait to See New Payment System's Effects
Psychiatric News story - "Inpatient psychiatric facilities have operated outside Medicare's prospective payment system since the system began a little more than 20 years ago. That exemption is now ending. Prospective payment has come to inpatient psychiatry. Last month the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a final rule implementing a new prospective payment system (PPS) for the nation's inpatient psychiatric facilities. The new system will go into effect for payment periods beginning on or after January 1, 2005. .."  
  

FDA Vows to Improve Drug-Safety Assessments
Story in Psychiatric News - "Serious concerns over how the FDA handled the highly publicized safety concerns surrounding antidepressants and Vioxx have prompted the agency to change course with respect to protecting public safety. Amid ongoing concerns that it has failed to protect the public health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced last month that it would take five steps toward strengthening the agency's drug safety programs. The move comes in the wake of ongoing Congressional inquiries into how the agency responded to and managed early concerns about the safety of antidepressants and the anti-inflammatory COX-2 inhibitor, rofecoxib (Vioxx)..." See also information on the FDA pilot program (Adobe Acrobat format) for resolving differences of professional opinion.  
  

Mental health association gets $124K for Latino needs (Pennsylvania)
Story at Public Opinion - "The Mental Health Association of Franklin and Fulton counties was awarded a $124,000 grant Tuesday to address the needs of a growing Latino community, the need for healthy initiatives and other concerns. "We haven't had an initiative like this," said Kenny Wuertenberg, executive director of the MHA. "We want to build sustainable programs that will last and last." The grant was awarded by PennSERVE, the Governor's Office of Citizen Service, which promotes and strengthens community service programs that impact the quality of life. Eleven members from 10 agencies will serve at different nonprofit organizations to create new programs, build on old programs and train volunteers to maintain community projects in order to address the community's concerns."  
  

How Immigration Affects Mental Health
WebMD article - "Mental health problems affect more Mexican-Americans and non-Hispanic whites born in the U.S. than new immigrants from the same countries, says the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The news comes from a study conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), a branch of the NIH. It appears in the December issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry."  
  

Mental-health facility retooled (Maine)
Kennebec Journal story - "A facility at MaineGeneral Medical Center for adolescents recovering from mental-health and substance-abuse problems is changing its program to better serve clients and improve care, officials said. The Adolescent Recovery Program, located at Seton Unit, currently has an inpatient/outpatient program that will change next year to include an intensive outpatient program. It will continue its current standard outpatient program, but inpatient services will no longer be provided."  
  

Mental Health Merger Still Being Studied (North Carolina)
Story in The Pilot - "Negotiations are continuing for the possible merger of the Lee-Harnett Mental Health program into Sandhills Center. Michael Watson, Sandhills Center director, said that once the arrangements are complete, it will be necessary to secure approval for the merger from the Boards of Commissioners in all eight counties affected. ... Sandhills Center administers mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse services for six counties in this region. In addition to Moore, the district includes Anson, Hoke, Richmond, Montgomery and Randolph counties."  
  

Aetna Ends Magellan Mental Health Deal
Reuters story - "Aetna Inc. on Wednesday said it will end its contract with Magellan Health Services for mental health coverage and bring those services in-house, pushing shares of Magellan down about 3.5 percent. Hartford, Connecticut-based Aetna, one of the biggest U.S. managed care companies, said it made the decision after "extensive analysis," and concluded bringing physical and mental health coverage together would be most efficient. To do that, Aetna will exercise its option to acquire Magellan's assets that service the Aetna behavioral health business for more than $50 million..."