Bipolar Disorder More Common
A new survey indicates that as many as 4% of American adults might have bipolar disorder at some point in their lifetime, higher than the 1% prevalence found in previous surveys. Researchers from the National Institute of Mental Health queried about 9,282 people from 2001 to 2003 as part of the National Comorbidity Survey-Replication. Based on the survey, the authors reached lifetime estimates of 1% for bipolar I disorder 1.1% for bipolar II disorder and 2.4% for subthreshold bipolar disorder. Most patients with a lifetime history of bipolar disorder and lifetime treatment were under the care of psychiatrists; patients with subthreshold bipolar disorder were more likely to receive care from a general medical professional. In looking at the previous 12 months of medication therapy, the authors found that 45% of patients receiving psychiatric care got appropriate medications, compared with only 9% of those getting general medical care. The study appeared in the May issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Drug Abuse Treatment Rare
Results of another government-sponsored survey in the same issue of the Archives finds that 8% of identified drug abusers and less than 40% of people diagnosed with drug dependence ever get treatment. The National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions was conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The researchers also found that 10% of Americans have trouble with drug use or abuse during their lifetimes, including 3% who become dependent at some point. Abuse and dependence were highest among men, Native Americans, people aged 18–44 years, unmarried individuals, and those in a lower socioeconomic stratum or who lived in the West. The data came from face-to-face interviews conducted from 2001 to 2002 with 43,000 adults.
Call to Share Student Mental Info
A new bill in the U.S. House of Representatives would allow schools and universities to share a student's mental health information with parents or guardians, but only if the student is considered a danger to himself or others. Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.), a child psychologist and cochair of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus, sponsored the legislation (H.R. 2220). The bill would clarify the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, which currently inhibits schools from notifying parents when a student might pose a significant risk of suicide, homicide, or assault, according to Rep. Murphy. “We want to remove the barrier that prevents schools from contacting parents to get them the help they need, not only for the safety of their child, but also of others on campus,” he said in a statement. As of press time, the bill had 17 cosponsors and no Senate companion.
THC Levels Highest Ever
With a warning that “this isn't your father's marijuana,” John Walters, the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, issued a report this spring showing that the levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in marijuana now available in this country are the highest ever recorded. The University of Mississippi Potency Monitoring Project found that the average THC level was 8.5%, compared with 4% reported in the early 1980s. Further, a larger proportion of pot has a potency of 9% or higher–a trend that has been increasing since the late 1990s, according to the Potency Monitoring Project. The project receives funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and has been analyzing seized marijuana samples since 1976. Mr. Walters said the report should serve “as a wake-up call for parents who may still hold outdated notions about the harms of marijuana.”
Improved Ped Paxil Settlement
Public Citizen said it has won greater compensation for parents of children who took the antidepressant Paxil but can't provide documentation of their purchase or related costs. In an earlier complaint (Hoormann, et al. v. SmithKline Beecham Corp.), the defendants alleged the company misled parents by not disclosing that the drug was dangerous and ineffective for children under age 18 years. Paxil maker GlaxoSmithKline was required to put $63.8 million into a fund to pay class members' out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, but members who could not provide proof of expenses were limited to a $15 payout and a pro rata share of $300,000, depending on the number of claimants. In a revised settlement approved by the Third Judicial Circuit of Madison County, Ill., claimants without documentation will now get up to $100, and the $300,000 pro rata cap is eliminated, Public Citizen said. “The revision significantly improves the value of the settlement, particularly to those class members who are unable to document their claim,” said Jennifer Soble, an attorney with Public Citizen, in a statement. Information on the settlement is at