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Spravato Not Approved for PTSD Treatment Alone, May Aid Co-Occurring Depression

Spravato Not Approved for PTSD Treatment Alone, May Aid Co-Occurring Depression

Spravato, an esketamine nasal spray, is FDA-approved for treatment-resistant depression and major depression with acute suicidal thoughts or actions. However, it is not approved to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a standalone condition. Despite this, Spravato may be considered as an appropriate option for individuals with PTSD when it co-occurs with depression that has not responded to at least two other antidepressants. The medication works on the brain's glutamate system, a different pathway than traditional antidepressants, and can potentially help form new neural connections. Treatment typically involves two sessions per week for the first four weeks, followed by weekly or bi-weekly sessions, with progress monitored through structured check-ins. Spravato is administered in certified clinics under supervision due to risks such as sedation, dissociation, respiratory depression, and potential for misuse.
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Psychiatric Medications: Understanding Addiction Risks and Safe Usage

Psychiatric Medications: Understanding Addiction Risks and Safe Usage

Concerns about addiction to psychiatric medications often deter individuals from seeking necessary mental health treatment. However, the medical reality is nuanced, with addiction risk varying significantly based on the medication class, its active ingredients, duration of use, and individual factors. It's crucial to differentiate between physical dependence, tolerance, and addiction. Physical dependence occurs when the body adapts to a medication, leading to withdrawal symptoms if stopped abruptly, but it does not equate to addiction. Tolerance means the body becomes less responsive to a medication's effects over time. Addiction, or medication use disorder, is characterized by impaired control over substance use, compulsive behavior, and continued use despite harmful consequences. Antidepressants and antipsychotics are generally not associated with compulsive drug-seeking behavior, though they can cause discontinuation symptoms. Conversely, benzodiazepines and certain prescription stimulants carry recogni...
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Alameda County Health Department Enhances Quality Improvement and Systems of Care

Alameda County Health Department Enhances Quality Improvement and Systems of Care

The Alameda County Health Department is actively enhancing its Quality Improvement and Systems of Care, focusing on community and population-level health to address and prevent root causes of health inequity. Key initiatives include a trauma-informed approach to mental health emergencies and the EMS for Children (EMSC) program, which aims to reduce pediatric injury, disability, and death through prevention, specialized training, and evidence-based protocols for emergency responders and hospitals. The department also leads clinically progressive systems in emergency medical services (EMS), including coordinated networks for STEMI (heart attack) and stroke care, ensuring prompt and effective treatment. Furthermore, Alameda County EMS is committed to providing high-quality, up-to-date education for its EMS providers, continually evaluating and improving care for children in crisis and patients experiencing cardiac events.
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PharmaTher Establishes 3D Printing Network for Personalized Medicines in North America

PharmaTher Establishes 3D Printing Network for Personalized Medicines in North America

PharmaTher Holdings, a Canadian specialty pharmaceutical company, has launched the M3DICINES National Network Program to create a distributed network of qualified sites across North America for producing personalized medicines using CraftMake pharmaceutical 3D printers. The program will initially focus on U.S. 503A compounding pharmacies, with plans to expand to hospitals, 503B outsourcing facilities, contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs), research institutions, and government facilities. Each site, referred to as a 'node,' will be capable of printing PharmaTher products, licensed formulations, partner programs, and research supplies. The network aims to address personalized dosing, rare and ultra-rare diseases, discontinued medicines, drug shortages, clinical trial supply, and emergency preparedness. The system allows for a single validated formulation to print any dose and combine multiple medicines and release profiles within one unit, with printing occurring at room temperature, ...
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BetterHelp Offers Enhanced Compensation and Benefits for Licensed Mental Health Professionals

BetterHelp Offers Enhanced Compensation and Benefits for Licensed Mental Health Professionals

BetterHelp, an online therapy platform, is providing new incentives for licensed mental health professionals to join its network. Therapists can now earn up to 33% more per session for clients using insurance. Additionally, a $500 bonus is available for therapists who see their first insurance client within 30 days of applying. For those committing to 30 hours a week, a $650 Health Benefit Stipend is offered. The platform aims to alleviate administrative burdens for therapists by handling payment delays, insurance issues, and other overhead, allowing them to focus on client care. Therapists work remotely with flexible schedules and gain access to over 30,000 other professionals within the BetterHelp community. Other benefits include free access to over 390 CEU courses and a complimentary BetterHelp membership for personal self-care. The platform supports various licensed professionals, including LCSWs, LPCs, LMFTs, LMHCs, and Psychologists/PsyDs, provided they have a fully independent license and at least ...
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Health Systems Prioritize Physician Well-being to Combat Burnout and Improve Patient Care

Health Systems Prioritize Physician Well-being to Combat Burnout and Improve Patient Care

Health systems are increasingly focusing on strategies to reduce physician burnout and enhance well-being, recognizing its critical role in delivering high-quality patient care and maintaining a sustainable healthcare system. Organizations are implementing various initiatives, including monitoring physician burnout through assessment tools, establishing workforce well-being committees, and creating Chief Wellness Officer positions. Efforts also involve improving the efficiency of practice environments, such as measuring time spent in Electronic Health Records (EHR) after work hours. Furthermore, health systems are investing in leadership development programs for physicians and actively working to measure and enhance teamwork by optimizing team structures, role functions, and workflows. A significant aspect of this cultural shift includes creating a supportive environment by addressing stigmatizing language around mental health and substance use disorders in credentialing processes, as highlighted by the Am...
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Outro Secures $7 Million Funding to Expand Antidepressant Deprescribing Services

Outro Secures $7 Million Funding to Expand Antidepressant Deprescribing Services

Outro, a neuroscience-based platform focused on helping individuals safely discontinue psychiatric medications, has announced $7 million in funding across pre-seed and seed rounds. The funding was secured with participation from investors including Listen Ventures, Cake Ventures, Jason Calicanis’s LAUNCH, Actions Capital, Hannah Grey VC, SemperVirens, Brock Recovery Group, and Pave Health Ventures. This capital infusion is intended to accelerate Outro’s mission to address the 'deprescribing gap' in America, starting with antidepressants, and to advance novel research in collaboration with academic institutions. Outro's flagship Taper Management program, co-founded by health tech entrepreneur Brandon Goode and Dr. Mark Horowitz, a leading researcher in deprescribing, is currently available in 14 states. The company aims to build the necessary infrastructure for safe, clinically-supported deprescribing at scale, combining trained clinicians, evidence-informed tapering protocols, patient monitoring, psychosoc...
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Bay Area Biotech Companies Drive Innovation Across Diverse Therapeutic Areas

Bay Area Biotech Companies Drive Innovation Across Diverse Therapeutic Areas

Bay Area Biotech Companies Drive Innovation Across Diverse Therapeutic Areas
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Psychiatrists Propose 'Digital Hyperconnectivity' Framework to Address Mental Health Impacts of Constant Digital Connection

Psychiatrists Propose 'Digital Hyperconnectivity' Framework to Address Mental Health Impacts of Constant Digital Connection

Psychiatrists Sulman Aziz Mirza, M.D., and Nathan A. Carroll, D.O., M.B.A., M.P.H., have introduced a new framework called 'digital hyperconnectivity' to understand the mental health effects of continuous digital engagement. This framework views technology as an environmental exposure, moving beyond simple screen time metrics. They discuss five proposed mechanisms driving digital hyperconnectivity: acute and chronic toxicity from constant notifications and exposure to distressing content; degenerative functional displacement, where technology replaces skill development (e.g., GPS replacing navigation skills); developmental reorganization, where an overload state becomes the baseline, leading to reduced attention spans; virtual social contagion, which degrades human connection; and iatrogenic susceptibility, where technology creates problems it then offers to solve. The discussion highlights that while technology fills needs, it often comes at a cost, and the inescapable nature of modern digital exposure ma...
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BetterHelp Seeks Licensed Clinical Social Workers for Remote Positions to Expand Online Therapy Services

BetterHelp Seeks Licensed Clinical Social Workers for Remote Positions to Expand Online Therapy Services

BetterHelp Seeks Licensed Clinical Social Workers for Remote Positions to Expand Online Therapy Services
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AI Chatbots Fail to Direct Crisis-Stricken Users to Help in 35% of Cases, Study Finds

AI Chatbots Fail to Direct Crisis-Stricken Users to Help in 35% of Cases, Study Finds

A study conducted by Scale AI has revealed that artificial intelligence chatbots frequently recognize signs of psychological distress in users but often fail to direct them to professional help. The research, reported by TIME, found that in approximately 35% of test dialogues, AI models identified that a user was experiencing a crisis but did not offer useful resources, such as crisis hotlines. For the study, Scale AI engaged 19 licensed clinicians and crisis counselors to create 718 realistic dialogues simulating individuals in crisis interacting with chatbots. The company tested 25 advanced AI models, including those developed by OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. The chatbots' responses were evaluated based on empathy, ability to de-escalate situations, and effectiveness in directing users to professional assistance. Researchers also assessed whether the models avoided moralizing or criticizing suicide and if they clarified that they are not therapists. Scale AI subsequently developed the DistressBench test...
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FIFA's Social Media Protection Service Blocks Millions of Abusive Messages During World Cup

FIFA's Social Media Protection Service Blocks Millions of Abusive Messages During World Cup

FIFA's Social Media Protection Service Blocks Millions of Abusive Messages During World Cup