ACTA Virtual Clinics on Adaptive Platform Trials

UNSW/Black Dog Institute, treatment-resistant depression (TRD)
Major depressive disorder is the highest cause of disability globally and at least one-third of MDD patients meet the criteria for TRD, a condition characterised by failure to sufficiently improve after trialing two or more antidepressants. There remains a vital need, therefore, to develop novel treatment approaches to TRD that can provide rapid relief of depressive symptoms and also be well tolerated by patients. The primary aim of this platform trial is to compare the effectiveness of a range of new treatments to improve depression symptoms in patients with TRD. Additional aims are to compare quality of life, treatment acceptance, and safety measures. Anticipated treatments to be investigated include psychedelics, neurostimulation, psychological therapy and antidepressant medications. Promising new treatments may be added and inferior treatments removed in the lifetime of the study.