FDA Rejects Schizophrenia Drug; Psilocybin for Anxiety; Solitary Confinement Lawsuit

The FDA rejected the investigational drug roluperidone for the treatment of negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia and called for at least one more positive study, according to developer Minerva Neurosciences.

Six weeks of psilocybin treatment significantly improved anxiety symptoms, with a 9.2-point greater reduction in Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale score compared with placebo in a phase II study, said Incannex Healthcare.

Short-term use of the ADHD medication methylphenidate was linked with a small increase in cardiovascular risk, a study in JAMA Network Open showed, but the researchers said the findings “should not be a reason to withhold treatment” and instead suggest “the need for individualized risk-benefit assessment and risk monitoring.”

Six people incarcerated at prisons in Pennsylvania filed a federal class action lawsuit to end indefinite solitary confinement, saying it worsens mental health crises. (AP)

Increasing rates of antidepressant dispensing for adolescents and young adults accelerated after the outbreak of COVID-19, and was driven by prescriptions to girls and young women. (Pediatrics)

Lawsuits were filed against the companies behind Roblox, Call of Duty, Fortnite, and Grand Theft Auto for allegedly targeting kids with gaming addictions. (Axios)

About 5% of the U.S. adult population lives with co-occurring chronic pain and clinically significant symptoms of anxiety and depression. (Pain)

A federal judge upheld a patent for Janssen’s schizophrenia drug paliperidone palmitate (Invega Sustenna), blocking Tolmar’s proposed copy until the patent’s expiration in January 2031. (Bloomberg Law)

Survey findings showed that 42% of Americans know someone who has died of a drug overdose. (American Journal of Public Health)

Prenatal exposure to general anesthesia was tied to a 31% increased risk for a subsequent diagnosis of a disruptive or internalizing behavioral disorder in kids. (British Journal of Anaesthesia)

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