PHARMACOECONOMIC ISSUES IN THE TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION

The advent of newer, more expensive antidepressant agents in the past decade has focused renewed attention on major depressive disorder. The higher costs associated with purchasing the drugs makes their use app ear to increase the cost of treating depression. Pharmacoeconomic meth ods are means of measuring the related advantages and costs, and provi de guidance in drug selection. When such measures have been applied, t he: initial impression of increased costs for treating depressed perso ns with these agents is not supported. Pharmacoeconomic studies show t hat the newer antidepressants have clinically significant advantages t hat translate into lower total health system costs for treating major depressive disorder.