Researcher Hopes Knowledge Of Genetic Makeup Will Help With Treatment Of Depression
“Different people for genetic reasons metabolize things differently,” said Kewchang Lee, who is also a clinical professor of psychiatry at UCSF. “With fast metabolizers, I might not necessarily change the antidepressant, but might target a higher dose. If a patient is a slow metabolizer, I might consider changing the antidepressant itself depending on the side-effect profile of that drug.”
San Francisco Chronicle:
In A First, Veterans Affairs Centers Use Genetic Testing To Treat Depression
For the first time since he began practicing medicine in 1992, [Kewchang] Lee is asking a small number of his patients to take a cheek swab for a genetic test analyzing their ability to metabolize commonly prescribed antidepressants. ...It is the first study in the VA health system to examine whether doctors gaining knowledge of their patients’ genomic composition can help shape more precise treatment plans for depression. (Ho, 3/17)
In other public health news —
KPBS:
FDA Proposal To Slash Nicotine In Cigarettes Could Have Big Impact In California
Tobacco control advocates are praising a proposal from the Food and Drug Administration to drastically reduce the amount of nicotine in cigarettes. The FDA plan would limit the nicotine level at 0.4 milligrams of nicotine per gram of tobacco. (Goldberg, 3/19)
East Bay Times:
Helping Wife With Parkinson's, Husband Becomes Advocate For A Cure
This will be [Bill] Clinch’s 16th trip to the annual caucus that includes workshops led by public policy and health care advocates, up-to-date reports from science and medical experts and access to members of Congress on Capitol Hill. According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, nearly 1 million Americans and 10 million people worldwide have Parkinson’s, the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s. The condition often displays as tremors or facial changes due to a loss of motor control, but Parkinson’s results also in low blood pressure, depression, anxiety and other symptoms. There is no cure. In the United States alone, 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. (Fancher, 3/18)