New Petition To Help Build Awareness of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), One of the Most Common Mental Disorders in the U.S.

DEERFIELD, Ill., May 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- A new petition was launched today to expand people's understanding of depression by asking popular dictionaries, including Oxford Dictionary and Dictionary.com, to consider including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and all of the symptoms associated with it in their dictionaries. The petition, supported by Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. and Lundbeck U.S., aims to bring greater awareness to the disorder and the symptoms.

The word 'depression' is often used to describe MDD. However, MDD, one of the most common mental disorders in the U.S., is one form of depression.¹ Each year about 6.7 percent of U.S. adults experience MDD.² It is projected that nearly 35 million Americans will experience MDD in their lifetime.³

"MDD is a serious medical condition. Only an estimated 50 percent of patients experiencing a major depressive episode in a given year receive any type of depression treatment,"⁴ said Dapo Tomori, Senior Medical Director, U.S. Medical Affairs, Takeda.

By bringing attention to the definition of MDD specifically, the petition aims to raise awareness of the complexity and seriousness of the disorder so people can seek the help they need from a doctor.

The petition references symptoms from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), a highly regarded publication among medical professionals. In addition to depressed mood or sadness, MDD is a combination of other symptoms that negatively affects how an individual feels, thinks and acts including: changes in appetite or weight, loss of interest, sleeping too much or too little, loss of energy, restlessness or having slowed speech and movements, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, difficulty thinking or making decisions and thoughts of suicide. MDD includes five or more of the symptoms above including either depressed mood or decreased interest or pleasure.⁵ It's important that individuals recognize all of these symptoms, but only a healthcare professional can diagnose MDD. Individuals or loved ones experiencing any signs and symptoms associated with MDD or other forms of depression nearly every day should consult a qualified healthcare professional for more information.

"It is important to educate people about the various symptoms of MDD, and we recognize that no one organization can effectively do this alone," said Jason Bradt, Vice President, Medical Affairs, Lundbeck. "With support from the broader mental health community, we hope this petition starts a conversation to change the way people are thinking and talking about the disorder."

To learn more about the initiative and sign the "Support Adding Definition of Major Depressive Disorder in Dictionaries" petition, visit www.iPetitions.com/petition/DefineMDD. Additionally, please share this petition with your networks via Facebook and Twitter (#MDDis).

Once the signature goal is reached a request will be made to Oxford Dictionary and Dictionary.com to ask that they consider including MDD to their dictionaries.

About Lundbeck
Based in Deerfield, Ill., Lundbeck US is an affiliate of H. Lundbeck A/S in Denmark, and focused solely on accelerating therapies for brain disorders. The company is engaged in the research, development, production, marketing and sale of innovative therapies that fulfill unmet medical needs among people living with challenging and sometimes rare neurologic and psychiatric disorders. In its late-stage research pipeline, the company has neurology compounds under investigation for Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy, in addition to therapies in development for mental health disorders. With a special commitment to the lives of patients, families and caregivers, Lundbeck actively engages in hundreds of initiatives each year that support our patient communities. To learn more, visit us at www.LundbeckUS.com and connect with us on Twitter at @LundbeckUS.

About Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. 
Based in Deerfield, Ill., Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. is a subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan. TPUSA markets oral diabetes, CNS, rheumatology and gastroenterology treatments. Its pipeline includes compounds for metabolic and cardiovascular disease, gastroenterology, neurology and other conditions. To learn more, visit www.takeda.us.

Contact:
Ashleigh Duchene
Public Affairs
Lundbeck
+1-847-282-1164    

Kara Hoeger
Corporate Communications
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
+1-224-554-1277

¹ National Institute of Mental Health. Depression. Available here: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml#part1. [Last Accessed: April 22, 2015].
² R. Kessler, (2005). Arch Gen Psychiatry 2005; 62(6): 593-602
³ R. Kessler, P. Berglund, O. Demler. (2003). The Epidemiology of Major Depressive Disorder. JAMA, June 18, 2003—Vol 289, No. 23
⁴ HM Gonzalez, Depression Care in the United States (2010) JAMA Psychiatry 2010; 67(1): 37-46
⁵ American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing, pp. 160-161.

SOURCE Takeda/Lundbeck Alliance