Case Receives Grant for Lithium Study

Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Topics: Health
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The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has given Case Western Reserve University more than $17 million to study how the generic drug lithium can be used in children with Bipolar Disorder. ideastream's Health Reporter, Lisa Ann Pinkerton has more.

It’s estimated around 1 million children in the United States suffer from Bipolar Disorder. In adults, Lithium is 70 to 80 percent effective at stabilizing mood swings. However, very little is known about the benefits, primarily because pharmaceutical companies don’t see any market incentive in studying the generic drug. That’s according to Dr. Robert Findling a professor of psychiatry at Case. He says the 4-year national study will mainly determine dosage levels.

Robert Findling: After that we look more closely at it’s efficacy, certainly all the while being very, very, thorough and very fastidious about monitoring youngsters for safety.

The study will enroll sixty children nationally from 7 locations including Cleveland, Cincinnati, Cambridge, and Seattle. Lisa Ann Pinkerton, 90.3.