Putting Major Depressive Disorder On The Map

A MDD educational programme from Takeda and Medscape scoops the most valuable HCP Initiative Award



Nearly one in five adults in the U.S. suffer with major depressive disorder (MDD). Although a common, pervasive and serious disease, it remains underdiagnosed and undertreated – with significant quality of life and mental health consequences, plus an increased risk of morbidity and mortality from other serious conditions.   

An educational programme designed to help close existing professional gaps in treating MDD was named the Most Valuable HCP Initiative at our North American awards last month.

Medscape Education developed 20 CME-certified educational activities and hosted them on a learning destination page dedicated to MDD. The programme was supported by an educational grant from Takeda.

Commenting on the win, Jill Erickson, Takeda's Director of Medical External Affairs said: “So proud of our team and organizations! All of the projects demonstrated important impact, so we are especially honored ours was chosen. This educational curriculum is one example of how providing data & patient driven education, tools and resources to clinical care teams and patients can help HCP’s and patients make treatment decisions together. This recognizes the important role of CME, innovation and partnerships to help patients achieve what matters most to them.”

Meanwhile, Doug Kaufman and Jovana Lubarda from Medscape noted that "the award is especially meaningful as it underscores commitment to providing the highest quality mental health education to providers and patients. This was more than 5 years of effort to improve outcomes, reaching over 198,000 healthcare providers and 41,000 patients/caregivers. Mental health conditions impact the lives of millions. Initiatives such as these play a critical role in raising awareness, reducing stigma, and forging the connectivity between healthcare providers and patients, with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes.

Further information can be found here and here.

Find out about the other finalists here.