Depression is a lot more than just feeling sad and it's a lot more prevalent than you might think, according to Dr. A.C. Patel. He's the medical director at Scranton Counseling Center.
Dr. A.C. Patel: “There is a serious unmet need for treatment of depression. It is a serious, common, costly, and deadly problem.”
Dr. Patel says there are currently more than two dozen anti-depressant medications available, but that research incidates those options don't work for some 30-to-40-percent of patients.
Enter, a new drug called Amitifadine (am-uh-tiff-uh-deen), not yet FDA approved but currently in phase-2 clinical trials.
Dr. Patel explains, anti-depressants work to alleviate mood disorders by acting on one or a combination of neurotransmitters in the brain, namely serotonin, nor epinephrine, and dopamine. Makers of Amitifadine say their drug is different because it acts on all three.
Dr. A.C. Patel: “This new medication in a Phase II trial has shown a lot of promise in controlling signs and symptoms of depression, and also has been found to have fewer side effects such as sexual side effects, weight gain, and cognitive side effects.”
The latest round of clinical trials started last April. Scranton Counseling Center is one of 41-sites selected for the ongoing study, and Dr. Patel is now looking for interested patients.
To be eligible to take part in the study, you must meet certain criteria: the basics are that you must be an adult age 18-to-65 who has been diagnosed with clinical depression. You also must be not responding to other anti-depressant medications.
For more information, contact Dr. Patel at the Scranton Counseling Center.