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A New Blood Test to Target Depression

9 June 2016

By Nicole

Just a few days after the announcement that there may be a new way to test for cancer using blood tests instead of biopsies, scientists working in the UK have revealed that they have developed a new blood test to enable doctors to choose the right type of medication for those suffering with depression.

Currently, doctors trying to prescribe medication for patients suffering from depression are forced to rely on a method of trial and error to find the right medication. This subsequently means that in around half the cases of depression, the first antidepressant which sufferers are treated with isn’t successful. However, UK researchers have revealed that the new blood test they have developed may put an end to this issue.

Researchers at King’s College London argue that testing a patient’s blood can help doctors to prescribe an accurate medication. The blood test will examine the blood for inflammation, and those who test positive are thought to require more aggressive therapy for the condition from the outset.

As of now, the researchers have trialled the blood test on a relatively small number of 140 volunteer patients suffering with depression, however for the new procedure to be implemented fully, a large trial will be needed to test how well it actually works.

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