REDUCING THE ECONOMIC BURDEN OF DEPRESSION

Depressive illness places an enormous economic burden on health servic es, the community and the individual patient. It is a serious medical disorder associated with high levels of social and physical disability . Antidepressant drug therapy can produce significant improvement in t he majority of patients. However, despite its high prevalence depressi ve illness is frequently undetected, misdiagnosed or inappropriately t reated. The selection of a cost-effective antidepressant requires a br oad evaluation of the risks, costs and benefits. A choice should not b e made on prescription drug costs alone but on the basis of the overal l value a treatment option offers in the management of illness. Benefi ts, such as improved treatment compliance, reduced toxicity in overdos e, long-term safety and efficacy in the prevention of relapse and recu rrence of depression, improved patient quality of life and decreased a ccident liability all have cost implications which must be considered when determining the relative cost of medication.