News in brief - Dec. 12, 2005

Many with depression seeking care - FDA confirms safety of Tamiflu in children - Depression assessment tool developed - Injections sometimes unsuccessful in women

Many with depression seeking care

About 8% of the population experienced at least one episode of major depression in 2004 and slightly more than 65% of those sought medical care, according to the "Depression among Adults" report released last month by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Office of Applied Studies.

Researchers at the agency analyzed data from the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which included questions that could be used to diagnose a major depressive episode.

"The good news is almost two-thirds of people with depression are seeking help," said SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie. "Clearly, we are making progress in overcoming the stigma that has prevented people from seeking help."

Depression was also associated with an increased risk of illegal drug use and smoking. About 14% of those who had been depressed used an illicit substance and nearly 40% smoked. Of those who were not depressed, only 7% used drugs and approximately 26% smoked.

FDA confirms safety of Tamiflu in children

The Food and Drug Administration's Pediatric Advisory Committee found no link between the use of the antiviral oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and the deaths of a dozen children in Japan, according to statement issued in November by Roche Pharmaceuticals, the drug's manufacturer.

"We welcome the outcome of the FDA advisory committee and look forward to working with the FDA and other health authorities to extend our knowledge of the use of Tamiflu and its safety profile," said William M. Burns, the CEO of the company's pharma division.

The assessment occurred as part of a regularly scheduled review of drugs that have received pediatric exclusivity from the agency. The committee considered data related to reports of adverse psychiatric and skin reactions.

No changes are expected on the label with regard to mental health issues, although the company plans to add information about the possible skin issues.

The drug, currently high profile as a possible tool if pandemic influenza hits, is widely used in Japan during regular flu season. About 33 million people around the world have used the drug, with more than 24 million of those residing in Japan.

In a related action, the scientific committee of the European Medicines Agency, Europe's FDA equivalent, has requested that Roche provide a cumulative safety review of all reports of adverse psychiatric events.

Depression assessment tool developed

To address the difficulty in determining when treatment of a depressed patient can safely be discontinued, researchers recently developed and tested a brief, seven-item questionnaire to assist in this assessment.

The HAMD-7 questionnaire was determined to be as effective as the standard 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale in measuring patient remission. This determination came from a randomized controlled trial of 454 patients with major depressive disorders being treated in a primary care setting. The findings were published in the Nov. 22 Canadian Medical Assn. Journal.

The researchers suggested that the shorter, self-administered instrument could be useful to busy primary care physicians as an alternative to the lengthier HAMD-17 and other similar scales. Both scales covered similar ground asking questions about depressed mood, feelings of guilt and interest and pleasure derived from daily activities.

Injections sometimes unsuccessful in women

Women may not be getting the most out of vaccines and other injections delivered to the buttocks, according to a study presented on Nov. 28 at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago. And obesity is being blamed.

"We have identified a new problem related, in part, to the increasing amount of fat in patients' buttocks," said Dr. Victoria O. Chan, registrar in the clinical medicine department of the Adelaide and Meath Hospital in Dublin, Ireland.

Her study of 50 patients, both men and women, found that while 56% of the men were given injections successfully, the same was true for only 8% of the women. Women tend to have a higher amount of fat in the buttocks.

"The amount of fat tissue overlying the muscles exceeds the length of the needles commonly used for these injections," she said, proposing that longer needles be used.

The use of intramuscular injections has increased over the past 10 years, and new medications have been developed for delivery in the upper, outer quadrant of the buttock, said Dr. Chan.