Therapy Analysis - Depression
Final thoughts
The use of counselling and other forms of psychotherapy in depression remain a vital element for individuals aiming to overcome these illnesses. But pharmacological intervention can also be an important part of the recovery process, particularly as a stepping stone for those in crisis. And it can be argued that for the more severely affected individuals, normal day-to-day functioning would be all but impossible without the use of antidepressants. Finding novel drugs to treat those who do not find symptom relief with the battery of drugs currently available is so important. And hopefully newer approaches will go some way to answering the questions surrounding the causes of depressive illness. However, the emergence of antidepressants with novel pharmacologies on to the market is not around the corner. The four antidepressants currently awaiting regulatory approval, including Labopharm’s Trazodone, are new formulations of already launched drugs.
The difficulties in finding appropriate animal models of depression means that theories arising from preclinical studies cannot be relied upon until solid evidence has been attained in the clinic. But the huge number of preclinical candidates is certainly encouraging, and hopefully these will progress through the pipeline and bring new options to patients struggling with depression.
Leanne Coyne
Pharmaprojects Analyst
