The cost of mood disorders

Mood disorders place substantial clinical, social, and economic burdens on individuals with the disorders, their families, and wider society. At the same time, the scarcity of health-care resources necessitates the efficiency of alternative treatments to be examined. Newer, more expensive, treatments always bring new cost concerns. However, costs alone are not an informative basis for decisions about the allocation of scarce resources. When broader perspectives are taken, such treatments can often demonstrate cost-effectiveness through improved clinical and/or quality-of-life outcomes, reduced use of other health-care resources, and improved participation in employment.