PhRMA: Four states develop majority of mental illness treatments

WASHINGTON The companies working on more than half of the mental illness drugs under development are clustered in four U.S. states, according to research by the largest lobby for the drug industry.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America compiled a study showing that of the 313 drugs, 192 are under development by companies in New York, New Jersey, North Carolina and California. The drugs are in clinical trials or under review by the Food and Drug Administration, PhRMA said.

“The need for these treatments is abundantly clear,” PhRMA SVP Jeffrey Bond said. “Nearly 60 million American adults today suffer from some form of mental illness, ranging from Alzheimer’s disease to depression and from schizophrenia to addictive disorders, including dependence on alcohol and drugs.”