The Week in Review: May 1-5

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This week, Psychiatric Times® covered a wide variety of psychiatric issues and industry updates, from new US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) treatment approvals to choosing the right levels of care in crisis stabilization units. Here are some highlights from the week.

FDA Approves Long-acting Treatment for Schizophrenia in Adults

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Uzedy (risperidone) extended-release injectable suspension has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults.

Uzedy, a product of Teva Pharmaceuticals, is now the first subcutaneous, long-acting formulation of risperidone that uses novel SteadyTeq to be approved by the FDA for the treatment of schizophrenia in this patient population. SteadyTeq is a copolymer technology proprietary to MedinCell that controls the release of risperidone over time, requiring no oral supplementation or loading dose and reaching therapeutic blood concentrations within 6 to 24 hours of each dose. Continue Reading

Culturally Sensitive Adherence Scale Shows Promise

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Recognizing the need to further understand nonadherence in patients with serious mental illness (SMI) like major depressive disorder (MDD), researchers at the University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, and Carlos Albizu University, San Juan, developed the Ralat Adherence

Scale (RAS-24). The culturally sensitive scale designed for patients from Puerto Rico with risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the first of its kind, the researchers noted. Continue Reading

An Imperfect Guide to Crisis Stabilization Units: Matching the Right Level of Care to Individual Needs

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Bipartisan support and increased funding have led to unprecedented interest in and expansion of behavioral health crisis services. As described in my recent feature, “Behavioral health crisis care’s carpe diem moment,” this interest has only increased with the launch of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, and reform efforts to create alternatives to police response to mental health emergencies.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) national guidelines for crisis care outline a vision in which an individual in crisis always has “someone to call, someone to respond, and a safe place to go.” Many communities across the United States have subscribed to this vision and made strides in bringing it to life, but most communities are lacking the critical third pillar of the vision: a safe place to go. Continue Reading

PLUS: 12 Questions to Ask Patients When Screening for TMS

See more recent coverage from Psychiatric Times here. And be sure to stay up-to-date by subscribing to the Psychiatric Times E-newsletter.

Do you have a comment on any of these or other articles? Have a good idea for an article and want to write? Interested in sharing your perspectives? Write to us at PTeditor@mmhgroup.com.