Health Canada has approved Cymbalta for the symptomatic relief of major depressive disorder in adults—the first new antidepressant available in several years.
The net wholesale price of a 60 mg capsule of the drug is $3.56 and a 30 mg capsule is $1.78. The price is comparable to that of other branded antidepressants available in Canada.
“Our studies have shown that patients treated with 60 mg per day of Cymbalta experienced greater improvement in the core emotional and physical symptoms of depression, compared to placebo,” says Dr. Doron Sagman, MD and associate vice-president, clinical research at Eli Lilly Canada.
Depression is expected to become a major problem for employers. The World Health Organization predicts that in less than 20 years, depression will be the second leading cause of disability (behind heart disease) worldwide.
Cymbalta is being marketed by Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd.
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