There are 2.7 Million people in the UK who have been diagnosed with "Treatment - Resistant Depression". These people are suffering from one of the worst diseases known to mankind, and they cannot even get any relief from their symptoms from existing treatments.

Depression destroys lives, relationships, friendships, tears families apart, and often drives people to suicide - especially if they have been told "Sorry, but there isn't really much else we an do to help you".

It is a terrifying, lonely place to be - like the worst nightmare you've ever experienced - but there's no waking from it. Sufferers describe it as "A constant, suffocating feeling of dread".

Now, there is actually the 1st really "New" drug in over 30 years, named Spravato. It targets a different pathway in your brain to all the other drugs currently used to try and treat depression - which basically all have the same targets.

Large numbers of people have already benefited from this, often life saving medication - but not in the UK - as our new drug approval body - NICE, has refused to approve it for use in The NHS - despite the fact that Spravato has already been approved by:-

1) The FDA, in 2019 for use across The United States - This is the American equivalent of England's NICE.
2) The European Medicines Agency (EMA), in December 2019.
3) The Scottish Medicines Consortium - in September 2020 - This is Scotland's equivalent of England's NICE!

I genuinely care about this, as I have suffered from this disease since age 18 - when I had to abandon my University place as I had become too ill to continue.

I have fought to get better - have been on every class of the currently available drugs, had hours of psychotherapy, multiple courses of Electro-Convulsive therapy, and 2 operations.

Despite all this I am still suffering from severe depression and anxiety - as my Mood Disorder Specialist put it - "Basically depression has destroyed my life".

If you've been affected, or know of friends/family members who have been affected by “treatment resistant” depression - or any form of depression - then please do sign this petition. If possible, please also add a link to any of your social media pages so that this petition can be widely shared.

(For anyone interested in reading about the current position of NICE, and why this petition is so important, here’s a link to an excellent article by Professor Steven Marwaha, Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham.UK https://bit.ly/3pZwHiD)

Many thanks from myself, and the other 2.7 million sufferers, for reading this petition – and hopefully signing and sharing!