Postnatal Depression for Dads; FDA’s New Rules for ECT Devices

Dads can also experience postnatal depression, a new study found. “It appears that depression in fathers is linked with an increased level of stress in the whole family,” study author Paul Ramchandani, DPhil, of the University of Cambridge, England, said in a statement. The researchers also found that the daughters of these men were more likely to have depression as well. (JAMA Psychiatry)

The investigational non-stimulant drug SPN-812 for attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) succeeded in a late-stage trial for improving symptoms in adolescents, drugmaker Supernus Pharma announced. (Reuters)

In similar news, the novel schizophrenia psychotropic treatment SEP-363856 succeeded in a phase IIa study and was well tolerated, according to developers Sunovion Pharmaceuticals and PsychoGenics. (Psych Congress Network)

Opiant Pharmaceuticals announced a new licensing deal with Sanofi to develop an injectable version of the investigational cannabinoid CB-1 receptor antagonist drinabant for the treatment of acute cannabinoid overdose in an emergency department setting. The drug was previously studied in clinical trials for patients with obesity, where severe psychiatric side effects were observed.

Last week the FDA released an order requiring a premarket approval application for most uses of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) devices. The order also reclassified ECT devices for catatonia or a severe major depressive episode associated with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder from a class III down to a class II device.

From 2015 to 2016, there was a 21.4% increase in drug overdose deaths in the U.S., with two-thirds involving an opioid. (MMWR)

New research showed a high rate of suicide among veterinarians — with rates among both men and women in the profession higher than the general U.S. population. (Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association)

Researchers of the phase III RECOVER trial, a 2-year trial following people treated with extended-release buprenorphine (Sublocade) for opioid addiction, published their trial design and participant data in Contemporary Clinical Trials.