The Indian neuropsychiatry drug market is showing a positive growth with the rising awareness in the population on the mental health disorders and easy access to treatment for relief, said Rajakumar Clement, vice president, sales and marketing, Micro Labs.

In India, neuropsychiatry is ranked 8th in terms of market opportunity after anti-infectives, cardiology, gastro-intestinal, vitamin, minerals & nutrition, respiratory, diabetes and pain management. While Indian pharma industry in fiscal 2015 is valued at Rs.87,937 crore registering a growth of 14.9 per cent, the neuropsychiatry segment is estimated at Rs.5,646 crore clocking a 13.7 per cent growth rate, Clement told Pharmabiz.

On the occasion of the World Mental Health Day observed annually on October 10, with the theme as ‘Dignity in Mental Health’, Micro Labs which is ranked 6th in neuropsychiatry in the country contends that physician-patient education is the key indicator to maximise the potential growth opportunities.

Drugs in neuropsychiatry cover for conditions spanning from anxiety, depression, epilepsy, stroke, dementia, Alzheimer's, migraine schizophrenia and neuropathic pain. Micro Labs which has 30 products in this segment competes with Sun Pharma which is the leader in this segment, followed by Intas, Torrent, Sanofi, Abbott, Piramal. We are positioned 6th in this category. Our newest antidepressant was launched last month with the latest molecule Vilazodone. There are half a dozen other Indian companies manufacturing formulations with this molecule, he added.

Although the current scene indicates an increased understanding of mental health disorders, a lot more needs to be done to increase awareness. To this end, Micro Labs distributes pamphlets on 'suicide prevention' to patients at psychiatric clinics through the consultants. Besides, the company educates general practitioners (GPs) who are the first point of contact for patients to detect the condition of a mental disorder through CME programmes. The need of the hour is to recognize the condition and treat early, said Clement.

Currently, India accounts for 8,000 psychiatrists and Micro Labs is engaged in promoting social awareness through these specialists.

A visible trend in the administration of drugs with mouth dissolvents for non-cooperative patients who shun medication. For instance, Olanzipine which is an anti-psychotic drug is one of the commonly used molecules in MD formulations.

The biggest challenge is to ensure that all neuropsychiatry drugs are ethically promoted and with the Drugs & Cosmetics Rules mandating prescription-based sales for Schedule H drugs and pharma companies need to make certain that neuropsychiatric specialists are adept with latest advances, so that all such medications are administered under medical supervision only. Another issue is the cost for patients in the low and middle income group because mental ill-health conditions require a long duration therapy which could be lifelong too, said Clement.