Federal health officials have approved the first pill specifically intended to treat severe depression after childbirth, a condition that affects thousands of new mothers in the U.S. each year.
The Food and Drug Administration on Friday granted approval of the drug, Zurzuvae, for adults experiencing severe depression related to childbirth or pregnancy. The pill is taken once a day for 14 days.
The new pill is from Sage Therapeutics, which has a similar infused drug that’s given intravenously over three days in a medical facility. The FDA approved that drug in 2019, though it isn’t widely used because of its $34,000 price tag and the logistics of administering it. “I planned my pregnancies, I knew I wanted those kids but I didn’t want to interact with them,” said McMahon, who lives in New York City. She says her mood and outlook started improving within days of taking the first pills.Dr. Kimberly Yonkers of Yale University said the Zurzuvae effect is “strong” and the drug likely will be prescribed for women who haven’t responded to antidepressants. She wasn’t involved in testing the drug.
Sage did not immediately announce how it would price the pill, and Yonkers said that’ll be a key factor in how widely its prescribed.
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