While I attended the 15th European College of
Neuropsychopharmacology Congress in Barcelona in
2002 I was taken aback by an astounding finding.
Research perfomed by John J. Spollen III, MD and
collegues concluded that with resistant patients
TCA's as well as SSRI's were not effective. Also
noted was that genetic loading seems to indicate
the likelihood of antidepressant response. Their
findings summarized the use of many conventional
psycho pharm TRD therapies including augmentation,
of which the overall response of all was weak.

I sit here asking myself. If my wife or daughter
suffered from resistant depression, would I reach
out to ECT? Would they allow me to persue the
avenue? Would I think that perfoming the same
old tired routine of drug after drug and
augmentation was somehow going to magically help
them. I don't think that question even needs to
be answered. Evidence as sighted above indicates
that a subset of major depressed patients suffer
from TRD and there is a genetic link.

For those without the good fortune of being wired
like most Americans, give them a break. Cover
this therapy. TRD currently is a strain on the
medicare budget. Its the old 80/20 rule. 20% of
your depressed patients are consuming 80% of the
depression resources. One small stopwatched sized
device can help patients that need it and your
budget thereby affording the rest of CMS
receipients more services. Approve VNS now for
Medicare national coverage and stop this
unneccesary charade and hostage holding of the
people by big insurance companies which administer
your plans.