The industry increases its response arsenal to stop the rise in mental illness | @diariofarma

The problems mental health They are considered one of the epidemics of the 21st century and the numbers are only increasing. At a global level, between 1990 and 2019 there has been an increase in mental illnesses of 48.1%, according to a study published in The Lancet and included in the report The value of medicine from a social perspective 2024, prepared by the Weber Foundation.

In Spain, one in three people suffer from a mental health problem, a proportion that rises to 40% in those over 50 years old and half of those over 85 years old. The most common disorders are worry, a dream and depression, as seen in the NHS Annual Report Ministry of Health. Anxiety disorders affect 10% of the population, but twice as many women (14%) than men (7%).

“The value of medications aimed at treating mental health problems is well established. As in other pathologies, efforts should be focused on it prevent and health promotion, as well as early diagnosis. Now, once medication treatment is considered necessary as part of a comprehensive approach to a health problem, it is equally important to ensure that these medications are used wisely, so that get the maximum value. This good and appropriate practice requires the commitment of all agents, including health managers, business, health professionals and patients” explains Arantxa Sancho, director of the Department of Medical-Scientific Affairs at Farm.

There are currently more than 160 medications being developed against mental illnesses, as shown in a Weber Foundation report with data from the American Employers Association. Pharm. Investigational drugs include 54 for Depression35 for schizophrenia, 35 for anxiety disorders and 13 for bipolar disorders.

In Spain, which has positioned itself in recent years as one of the world leaders in clinical research, almost 80% of tests for this type of condition are promoted by the industry.

Mental disorders cause changes in the thinking, understanding, behavior and feelings of those who suffer from them. Symptoms that have a significant impact on personal and work relationships, with a serious impact on the quality of life of those affected.

“This is why medicines have a high social value in these diseases, because they improve the quality of life of patients and, as a result, the family and social environment, which suffers a health burden, work and economic of this important health problem often affects the most vulnerable populations,” says Sancho. In addition, the impact – like the frequency of these problems – is increasing and in Spain a record was broken in 2023 for sick leave related to “mental and behavioral problems” (classified so by the Ministry of Inclusion, Security Social and Migration), with nearly 600,000 last year.

In this sense the motto of World Mental Health Day 2024, which this year is ‘Work and mental health, a fundamental link’, and advocates for the improvement of working conditions and the elimination of vulnerability, since it is a risk factor in psychology. distress