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Early North American research on lithium
1University of Sydney, Repatriation General Hospital, Concord, New South Wales, Australia. gjohnson@med.usyd.edu.au
The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
|January 6, 2000
Summary
Lithium treatment adoption in the USA was delayed due to safety concerns. Following early research and clinical trials in the 1960s, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved lithium in 1970.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Lithium use in psychiatric care faced initial hesitancy in the USA compared to Europe.
- Concerns regarding lithium-associated deaths in cardiac patients contributed to this delay.
Observation:
- The first American report on lithium was published in 1960.
- Significant clinical trials commenced in the USA during the 1960s.
- The American Journal of Psychiatry featured a special section on lithium in 1968.
Findings:
- Despite early concerns, clinical research and trials progressed through the 1960s.
- The clinical significance of lithium in managing manic episodes was increasingly recognized.
Implications:
- The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 1970 marked a pivotal moment for lithium's integration into American psychiatric practice.
- This approval paved the way for wider clinical application of lithium for bipolar disorder management.