• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Monday, October 6, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News Health

McLean hospital study examines the cost-effectiveness of esketamine

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
July 13, 2020
in Health
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
IMAGE
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

Researchers find this nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression is currently too expensive for widespread use

IMAGE

Credit: McLean Hospital

Highlights:
* Study estimated the cost-effectiveness of esketamine, a novel intranasally dosed antidepressant for patients with treatment-resistant depression
* Researchers employed a decision-analytic model to simulate the effects of treatment with esketamine versus oral antidepressants from both societal and health care sector perspectives
* Study concluded that the price of esketamine must fall by more than 40% to be cost-effective for management of treatment-resistant depression in the United States

A paper authored by researchers from McLean Hospital has determined that esketamine, a nasal spray to treat severe depression, is currently too expensive for widespread use. Titled “Cost-Effectiveness of Esketamine Nasal Spray for Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression in the United States,” the paper was published on July 7 in Psychiatric Services.

The study compared the costs and benefits of esketamine, an antidepressant approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last year for use in treatment-resistant major depressive disorder. Unlike ketamine, a drug delivered intravenously to treat severe depression, esketamine is a nasal spray.

Lead author Eric L. Ross, MD, reported that “most medications don’t work as well for people with treatment-resistant depression.” However, he said, “Esketamine has been effective in a population where many other treatments haven’t worked.”

Ross said, “I want people to use esketamine, but it’s important that it be cost-effective. I don’t want it to put a real strain on our mental health care system.”

To estimate the cost-effectiveness of the drug, Ross and his colleagues used a “decision-analytic model” to simulate the effects of treatment with esketamine versus oral antidepressants over five years. The model looked at both societal and health care sector perspectives of using the drug.

Ross explained that the study built on previous investigations of esketamine but added information about cost. Also, he said, the model accounted for issues such as “How much does it cost to have uncontrolled depression?” and “How much does it impact your quality of life?”

The simulations found that, over five years, esketamine was projected to improve quality of life by increasing time in remission for patients. Societal costs and health care sector costs, however, were projected to go up substantially. The authors estimated a greater than 95% likelihood that intranasal esketamine would not be cost-effective in the United States, according to commonly applied standards. Also, they concluded that the price of esketamine must fall by more than 40% from its current price of approximately $240 per dose to be cost-effective for the management of treatment-resistant depression in the U.S.

“Esketamine is too expensive, but it does work,” Ross asserted. “The question now is ‘How do we get the price down?'”

Ross said that he hopes the paper will encourage policymakers, insurers, and health care leaders to work to reduce the price of esketamine and make it more available to those in need. “At the end of the day, it’s not about saving money,” he said. “The goal is to make sure we’re getting the most clinical benefit we can for the money we spend.”

###

FUNDING: This study was supported by Research Training and Career Development grant R25-MH-094612 from the National Institute of Mental Health to Dr. Ross. The National Institute of Mental Health did not participate in the design of the study, the analysis and interpretation of the data, or the preparation and submission of the manuscript for publication. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

ABOUT McLEAN HOSPITAL:
McLean Hospital has a continuous commitment to put people first in patient care, innovation and discovery, and shared knowledge related to mental health. In 2017 and 2018, it was named the #1 hospital for psychiatric care in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. McLean Hospital is the largest psychiatric affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a member of Mass General Brigham. For more information, please visit https://www.mcleanhospital.org/ or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Media Contact
Laura Neves
[email protected]

Original Source

https://www.mcleanhospital.org/news/study-examines-cost-effectiveness-esketamine

Related Journal Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201900625

Tags: BehaviorDepression/AngerMedicine/HealthMental HealthSocial/Behavioral ScienceStress/Anxiety
Share12Tweet8Share2ShareShareShare2

Related Posts

Innovative Care Model for Aboriginal Children in Fitzroy Valley

October 6, 2025

Texas Children’s Researchers Develop Innovative Tool to Enhance Precision in Genetic Testing

October 6, 2025

Cardiovascular Risk Factors Adversely Affect Health During and After Pregnancy

October 6, 2025

Antibodies Link COVID-19 Risk in HIV Study

October 6, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • New Study Reveals the Science Behind Exercise and Weight Loss

    New Study Reveals the Science Behind Exercise and Weight Loss

    95 shares
    Share 38 Tweet 24
  • New Study Indicates Children’s Risk of Long COVID Could Double Following a Second Infection – The Lancet Infectious Diseases

    93 shares
    Share 37 Tweet 23
  • New Insights Suggest ALS May Be an Autoimmune Disease

    71 shares
    Share 28 Tweet 18
  • Ohio State Study Reveals Protein Quality Control Breakdown as Key Factor in Cancer Immunotherapy Failure

    70 shares
    Share 28 Tweet 18

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

Innovative Care Model for Aboriginal Children in Fitzroy Valley

How Black Holes Generate Intense Relativistic Jets

Texas Children’s Researchers Develop Innovative Tool to Enhance Precision in Genetic Testing

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 63 other subscribers
  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.