News Release

Bethesda, Maryland, July 4 /PRNewswire/ -- - New test helps doctors evaluate patients' mental health during routine physical examinations

M-3 Information announced today the creation of the M-3 Record(tm), a tool designed to initiate a dialogue between patients and their physicians about mental health. The M-3 (Medical Monitoring of Mood) Record is the first test that enables patients to self- rate their mood and facilitates the identification of psychiatric symptoms that may require treatment during routine examinations. For patients requiring treatment, the M-3 Record aims to increase medical compliance by providing information about expectations and a form to track progress with their doctor over 12 months.

Mental health is a key aspect of personal health -- playing a role in the prevention of or recovery from heart attacks, strokes and chronic pain -- and is often overlooked during doctor visits. More than 57.7 million Americans have a diagnosable mental disorder every year. Less than half of those people receive help for their condition. (1) Additionally, nearly 75% of all patients who visit a primary care physician have a psychological component to their initial complaint.(2)

"The M-3 Record is the first test of its kind and fills a critical need," said Dr. Robert M. Post, Head of the Bipolar Collaborative Network, a psychiatrist at the National Institute of Mental Health and a M-3 Record collaborator. "Many patients experience mood disorders, but hesitate to share this information with their family doctor, who often serves as the only point of medical contact. The questions in the M-3 Record prompt an active discussion between patients and physicians."

In addition to serving as a screening tool for symptoms of psychiatric conditions, the M-3 Record contains information about prescription medications currently available for depression, unstable moods, anxiety disorders, and chronic pain syndromes. The guide provides an overview of each drug's specific indication, starting and maximum dosages, drug interactions and side effects. The M-3 Record also addresses itself to preconceived notions about medication, dispelling certain myths that could interfere with successful treatment. The patient is taught what to expect, including how and when medication adjustments might occur, and how side-effects may be managed. Finally, patients are encouraged to monitor their progress and to remain on medication for the recommended course of treatment. M-3 Record questions have been derived from long-standing, validated diagnostic instruments.

"As more people speak up about their mood disorders, physicians need to have the critical information found in the M-3 Record readily accessible," said Dr. Gerald Hurowitz, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University and a private clinical psychopharmacologist. "Having this organised monitoring tool in my office helps my patients and I track their progress."

The M-3 Record is not a diagnostic instrument and is intended to be used solely within the context of medical treatment. Non-psychiatric health professionals -- including general practitioners, obstetrician-gynaecologists, physicians assistants and nurse practitioners -- can administer the M-3 test to all patients during routine physical examinations. M-3 Information is currently undergoing pilot project distribution and is developing partnerships to make the test available in outpatient facilities throughout the United States.

About mood disorders

The term "mood disorder" describes a general psychiatric condition characterised by an individual's sense of a loss of control of their general, stable mood. This loss of control results in a feeling of distress, manifesting in symptoms that can indicate:

- Depression unipolar

- Depression bipolar

- Panic and Anxiety Disorders

- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

M-3 Information focuses on providing self-prompting and monitoring tools to the pharmaceutical and medical communities. Members include research and treatment-oriented physicians and large system data management specialists.

Footnotes:

(1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(2) Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health, 2000

Distributed by PR Newswire on behalf of M-3 Information