How Googles new depression

diagnosis tool is a Big Pharma plot to

mass diagnose the public with
depression (and sell more drugs)
Tuesday, September 19, 2017 by Michelle Simmons
Experts warned that Googles depression screening tool will lead to over-diagnosis, over-
prescribing, and misuse of data, as reported by The Daily Mail.

A Google search for the query Am I depressed? on mobile phones or computers will suggest a
link to the self-assessment quiz called the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), which is used by
doctors to assess the severity of depression and response to treatment.

The Internet giant developed the screening tool together with the National Alliance on Mental
Illness (Nami) and released it in August. It was developed to offer help to those who may be
suffering from mental health problems.

One of the goals of the test is to shorten the gap of the average six years it takes for a person to
be diagnosed with depression.

However, Simon Gilbody, a professor of psychological medicine at the University of York,

claimed that the quiz could just lead to over-treatment of depression in the middle of the United
Statess opioid epidemic. He warned that the tools development was funded by major drug
company Pfizer, which profits from the sale of antidepressants. He also warned that the test has a
likelihood of giving inaccurate results.

Gilbody claimed in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) that many of the answers the test would
identify as warning signs were actually transient psychological distress, which will remit
without treatment and that the test could misidentify other disorders or mental health issues as
depression.
Even in most health systems, let alone online, depression screening is generally inadequate and
not recommended in the United Kingdom, according to Gilbody.

Gilbody claimed that screening programs will likely add to the upward trend in antidepressant
prescriptions.

David Gilbert, director of InHealth Associates, mirrored Gilbodys concerns about Pfizers
involvement. Google is driving people quicker down the path to Big Pharma. Remember,
Pfizer funded the development of the tool, Gilbert warned in the Head to Head section of BMJ.
(Related: Big Pharmas targeted drug dealing scheme threatened by new Privacy Badger web
browser extension)

Pfizer did own the copyright to the PHQA-9 tool and is also the maker of Xanax, a common
antidepressant drug.

Historically, the boundaries between pharmaceutical advertising and patient information are
also blurred by the presence of online disease awareness campaigns sponsored by [the] industry,
Gilbert wrote.

However, the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF) published a final
recommendation on the screening for depression in adults. The USPSTF recommends screening
for depression in the general adult population, including pregnant and postpartum women, the
USPSTF wrote.

It was also noted that screening should be implemented with adequate systems in place to
ensure accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and appropriate follow-up.

Moreover, clinical psychiatrist Ken Duckworth disagreed with Gilbody and Gilbert. He pointed
out that the tool was not meant to replace clinical screening. The test is intended as widespread
education to prompt informed conversations with clinical professionals to suggest potentially
helpful sources, he wrote in the Head to Head section.

He stressed that the result alone cannot drive treatment without a professional making a formal
diagnosis, nor should it threaten privacy as Google will not store any results.

In a blog posted by Google, Mary Giliberti, chief executive officer of Nami, wrote that although
the results of the PHQ-9 can help people determine their level of depression and response to
treatment, it is important to note that PHQ-9 is not meant to act as a singular tool for diagnosis.
The survey asks about how frequently the person feels down, what are his energy and interest
levels, sleeping and eating patterns, and thoughts of suicide. Each answer has an equivalent
numeric score and the total score reveals the depression level of the respondent and provides
some basic information on depression.

We hope that by making this information available on Google, more people will become aware
of depression and seek treatment to recover and improve their quality of life, Giliberti wrote.

Read more news like this at Psychiatry.news.