Demand for psychotic drugs Big US drug companies fight for mental illness Drug development

According to a recent survey conducted by the Business Club on September 7, 332 drug development and biotechnology companies in New Jersey, California, New York, and North Carolina in the United States accounted for 192 of the total 313 mental illness drugs developed today. Species.

This "psychiatric drug development" study was initiated by the American Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association (PhRMA). Of these, 62 are in New Jersey, 57 in California, 43 in New York, and 41 in North Carolina. The total number of mental illness drugs developed in each state is 203, and in fact only 192. Some drugs are jointly developed by two companies in different states.

Drugs that enter clinical trials or applications are being evaluated by the FDA, including addiction drugs, anxiolytics, antidementia drugs, antidepressants, anti-schizophrenia drugs, eating disorder medications, psychotic disorders, and insomnia drugs.

Jeffrey A. Bond, senior vice president of PhRMA, said: “The demand for psychotropic drugs is very large. Nearly 60 million American adults suffer from Alzheimer's disease to depression, from schizophrenia to addiction diseases including alcohol and drug dependence. According to a study sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health in the United States, the annual cost of severe mental illness costs the U.S. in lost wages, health care expenses, and disability pensions to 317 billion U.S. dollars."

According to a study by the American Institute of Health Management Research and Quality Association, 12 million patients visited the emergency room for mental health and/or psychotropic substance abuse in 2007, accounting for 12.5% ​​of the total number of patients in the emergency room in the United States. That is, 1/8. About 4.8 million visits are expensive for hospitalization, which is more than 2.5 times the cost of hospitalization for other diseases.

According to the World Health Organization, there are more than 300 million people with mental illness worldwide. The burden of mental illness, such as suicide, is estimated to account for 15% of all psychiatric drug market, which is more than the burden caused by cancer.

Bond proposes that 71 of the new drugs developed are depressants, which will have 21 million Americans (9.5% of the US population) and 121 million people worldwide. 38 anti-anxiety drugs, 40 million adult patients aged 18 years and over in the United States. There are 90 drugs for the treatment of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, and the number of affected patients in the United States has reached 5 million. Fifty-four kinds of drugs are schizophrenia. The number of American adults is 2.4 million.

Drug development and biotechnology companies in New Jersey, California, New York, and North Carolina developed 47 of 71 depressants, 29 of 38 anxiolytics, 63 of 90 antidementia drugs, and 54 antibodies 36 kinds of schizophrenic drugs.

Bond said: "The report shows that New York State companies are also very strong in the development of drugs. Research shows that New York State drug development and biotechnology companies are developing 722 new drugs and vaccines, accounting for development of drugs by American biopharmaceutical companies. 1/4."

Bond also said that New Jersey, California, New York, North Carolina and other states "are investing heavily in long-term research and development of new drugs. The average cost of developing a new drug is now 1.3 billion US dollars, 10 to 15 years. ”

Bond stressed that US drug development and biotechnology companies are now doing more than just commit to innovation. They also give medical help to patients who do not have insurance and need to spend a lot of money. The company-funded "Partnership for Pretion Assistance" (PPA) program provides over 475 private and public patient assistance programs that are free or almost free of charge if requested by patients, 200 of which are provided by the company to patients. of. Uninsured Americans and those who cannot pay for medical expenses can get help if they meet the funding requirements.