Magnetic fields are being used in Medibank and The Adelaide Clinic trial as treatment for depression

PEOPLE with severe depression are being invited to trial a treatment where a metal coil placed on the head sends magnetic fields to stimulate the brain’s mood cells.

Medibank chief medical officer Dr Linda Swan.

PEOPLE suffering severe depression are being offered an innovative treatment in a free trial at The Adelaide Clinic — a metal coil on their heads sending magnetic pulses to stimulate “mood cells” in the brain.

Insurer Medibank is funding the trial at the psychiatric hospital, at a cost of around $3600 a person, to see if it delivers good outcomes and keeps costs down. At present there is no Medicare rebate for the treatment but a successful trial may see approval. A US study found transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has proven to be effective in 58 per cent of patients with depression who do not respond to medication.

An Adelaide University study also concluded it can be an effective treatment.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is being used in a trial by Medibank and the Adelaide Clinic. Picture: Supplied.

The 12-month national trial now has 70 people enrolled and may recruit up to 500, who will be treated as outpatients.

Patients remain awake, no anaesthetic is needed and the sessions, taking about 30 minutes, have minimal side effects.

Medibank chief medical officer Dr Linda Swan said TMS has the potential to replace electroconvulsive therapy (ECT, or “shock therapy”) for some patients.

“I’m very proud that Medibank is investing in a breakthrough and innovative treatment for a significant disease area,” Dr Swan said.

“What’s really fascinating is what it is replacing, what can seem a fairly barbaric treatment which involves electric shock waves to the brain. Along comes a simple alternative that doesn’t require hospitalisation, doesn’t give the same trauma to the brain, is simple and easy and is delivered at a fraction of the cost.

“It is bizarrely simple, using magnetic fields rather than electric currents to stimulate the brain.”

The treatment has been used in Australia for about a decade but is not widely available and costs around $180 a session for about 20 sessions.

Under the trial, patients with severe depression who do not respond to medication, who are referred by a psychiatrist and accepted for treatment, will face no costs.

Adelaide psychiatrist Professor Cherrie Galletly previously has referred patients for TMS treatment and can see its potential to be the first choice therapy ahead of medication, as there is no need for anaesthetic and no side effects apart from the occasional headache.

“I’ve had some excellent responses, about one-third to one-half get some benefit and some get well when they have not been well for many years,” she said. “I can see it as a first option treatment, as anti-depression drugs can have side effects and some jobs have a problem with people on medication. “

“ECT is more effective but it is done under anaesthetic, can affect memory and some people have problems with stigma of such treatment.”

Prof Galletly said there had been two unsuccessful applications to have TMS put on the Medicare schedule but unlike big pharmaceutical companies, clinicians concerned about better patient treatment have limited resources.