October is Depression Awareness Month and sadly the rate of depression in the US remains very high. According to a 2025 Gallup poll, more than 18% of people in the US are currently battling depression, while the percentage of adults who report having had depression at some point in their life is 28.5%. The depression rate for young adults has doubled since 2017 (from 13% to 26.7%).

The economic impact underscores the critical need for pharmaceutical advancement. Depression costs the United States approximately $210.5 billion annually in medical and workplace costs.

For clinical researchers, Depression Awareness Month helps us all recognize that depression is a significant problem and we need more robust therapies to help patients. People with depression have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases than the general population, highlighting the interconnected nature of mental and physical health that pharmaceutical research must address.

This month, we encourage everyone in our community to raise awareness to strengthen patient recruitment and foster collaborative partnerships. The path from laboratory to patient requires sustained commitment to rigorous clinical research that can transform outcomes for millions.

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Together, we can transform awareness into action through evidence-based pharmaceutical innovation and bring hope to those affected by depression.