The State of Depression in the U.S.

The State of Depression in the U.S

The mental health crisis is a public health emergency that cannot be ignored. After COVID-19, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) – a mood disorder where depressive symptoms can last consistently for at least a two-week period and affect all aspects of someone’s life – may be one of the most pressing public health crises in the world today.¹ However, the standard of care for MDD treatment has been largely unchanged for decades, leaving an urgent need for treatment innovation.

Recent Data Suggests an Ongoing MDD Crisis

• Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. (~21 million) experience MDD in their lifetime.²
• 54% of people with MDD also experience elevated anxiety symptoms.³
• 3x increase in depressive symptoms in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic.⁴
• 34% of adults with depression receive no treatment at all.⁵

Depression’s Staggering Economic and Societal Costs

• $326 billion: The most recent estimate (2018) of the economic burden of MDD.⁶
• $9,450 per employee: Estimated untreated depression costs in absenteeism and lost productivity in the workforce every year.⁷

Intergenerational Risk of Depression

• Data suggests that young people with a depressed parent have a 3x increased risk of MDD.⁸

Unmet Patient Need Currently Exists

Data from a survey of patients with MDD conducted by Sage Therapeutics

• 41% have stopped taking antidepressants within 90 days.⁹
• 68% expressed dissatisfaction with the amount of time on medication.¹⁰
• 75% expressed frustration because they need to try multiple treatments to find one that works.¹¹

¹https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3516018/
²https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression
³Gaspersz R, Lamers F, Kent JM, et al. Longitudinal predictive validity of the DSM-5 anxious distress specifier for clinical outcomes in a large cohort of patients with major depressive disorder. J Clin Psychiatry. 2017;78(2):207-213.
⁴https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6932a1.htm
⁵https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression. Updated January 2022. Accessed April 20, 2022.
⁶Greenberg PE, et al. PharmacoEconomics. 2021. doi: 10.1007/s40273-021-01019-4
⁷American Heart Association, 2018, CEO Roundtable Report: Mental Health, A Workforce Crisis: https://www.ceoroundtable.heart.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/MENTAL-HEALTH-FULL-REPORT-FINAL-20181212.pdf
⁸https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2589-5370%2821%2900280-7
⁹Arnaud A, et al. J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2019;S25(10-a):S49-S50. Meeting Abstracts supplement.
¹⁰JPM 2022 presentation; Sage Therapeutics, Inc. Data on file; survey of MDD patients conducted by Sage
¹¹JPM 2022 presentation; Sage Therapeutics, Inc. Data on file; survey of MDD patients conducted by Sage