As part of its endeavors to develop innovative treatment plans for severe mood disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, the Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP, revealed its intention to licensing the drug “Esketamine”, a nasal spray for adults with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder.
The UAE is one of the world’s first countries to adopt this medicine after having approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency.
Visitors to MoHAP’s platform at the Arab Health 2020 which runs from January 27 – 30, can learn more about the world’s first nasal spray to treat severe depression in partnership with Johnson.
Being a controlled medicine, the highly effective Esketamine is given for adults with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder under doctor’s supervision once a week or every two weeks.
Providing Innovative Global Medicines to Patients
HE Dr. Youssif Al Serkal, Assistant Undersecretary for the Ministry’s Hospitals Sector, said: “MoHAP pays great attention to keep abreast with the development of therapeutic methods in the mental illness field to achieve social empowerment for mental health patients, especially depression and reduce its negative impacts on the individual, family, and society. This is in addition to preparing, qualifying, and developing competent medical cadres, raising community awareness about mental health, and combating social stigma towards patients with mental disorders.”
This comes as part of MoHAP’s strategy to raise the efficacy and efficiency of drug use and to provide comprehensive, sustainable distinguished, and safe medicines, in accordance with the treatment protocols and the reasons for their use.
Al Serkal asserted MoHAP’s keenness to provide innovative medicines in its health facilities, cooperate with international pharmaceutical companies to treat the largest segment of patients and provide effective and safe health services, in accordance with the best international quality standards and the use of efficient methods and methodologies in resource management.
A number of psychiatric hospitals and departments have been established including Al Amal Psychiatry Hospital in Dubai, the first hospital in the field of mental health to obtain international accreditation from the Joint International Committee (JCI) in the Middle East, he noted.
Implementing National Policy to Promote Mental Health
“MoHAP is keen to provide the latest psychiatric drugs approved by the FDA and European Medicines Agency, with a view to improving capabilities to achieve the best application of the national policy to promote mental health, rehabilitate and support people with mental illness, educate health care practitioners in specialized hospitals, and creating a state of awareness and patient education through specific programs to integrate them into society and create the appropriate environment to raise their productivity and achieve their happiness in a multi-sectoral national framework,” Al Serkal explained.
“The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies major depressive disorder as one of the most debilitating diseases of society, as it depletes health care resources and causes the low quality of life for patients and indirect costs to society. This disease is also one of the most common causes of inability to work and social life. A major depressive disorder is associated with many costs and significant social and economic impacts,” said Dr. Kalthoum Al Baloushi, Director of MoHAP’s Hospitals Administration.
She added: “Esketamine is an innovative drug. The patient can take it himself through a nasal spray used once a time per week. The patient should be under the supervision of a healthcare professional until his health condition is stabilized based on the clinical evaluation.
A Promising Medication and Rapid Outcomes
A major depressive disorder is a devastating disease affecting about 300 million people worldwide. For decades, no new drug options have been found to confront this disease. Women are experiencing depression by up to three times more than men, and those with chronic diseases are more vulnerable to the disease.
In the same context, the fast-acting Spravato® (Esketamine) nasal spray can be an effective treatment for depression, especially after passing 3 stages of clinical trials to deal with treatment-resistant cases.
Two out of three people were well-responded to the Esketamine drug and many patients were relieved within 24 hours. Also, the number of patients who were in stable conditions has tripled compared to the current level of healthcare. Therefore, Spravato® (Esketamine) is considered a promising new product to treat and face this serious disease.
