Ultrasis Plc Regulatory News (ULT)

23 May 2005 10:29

Ultrasis PLC23 May 2005 Ultrasis PLC PILOT COULD PAVE THE WAY FOR BEATING THE BLUES IN THE US A trial providing a non-drug alternative treatment for patients with depressionin the United States could yield significant opportunities for Ultrasis plc. Thepilot project, which goes live in New York State next month, is particularlysignificant as professionals providing the treatment will be piloting itsreimbursement through the US healthcare billing system. In this model, patients at the SUNY Upstate Medical University at Syracuse inNew York State will be able to benefit from an effective treatment for anxietyand depression called Beating the Blues, which is a Computerised CognitiveBehaviour Therapy (CCBT) developed by London based interactive healthcarespecialist, Ultrasis. CCBT is a generic term that is used to refer to a number of methods ofdelivering Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) via an interactive computerinterface as an alternative to traditional face to face therapy. Designed for people with no previous computer experience, Beating the Bluesoffers a complete self-help therapy, presented in eight weekly modules of onehour sessions taking place at a local mental health centre. The program usesinteractive modules, animation and voice-overs to engage and motivate the user. Clinically shown to be effective in Randomised Controlled Trials, Beating theBlues has recently been recommended in the UK as an effective treatment for mildand moderate depression in an Appraisal Consultation Document by the NationalInstitute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). As John Hill, Vice President of Ultrasis Inc, the wholly owned US subsidiary ofthe UK interactive healthcare plc explains, the trial in the US is particularlysignificant as providers, for the first time, will investigate having theassociated costs covered by insurance carriers."To date, the major stumbling block in prescribing Beating the Blues in the UShas not been the effectiveness of the treatment itself, but rather its lack of aunique billing code, which is a cornerstone of the US healthcare system." He added, "In the SUNY Upstate Medical University project, each patient will beseen during each session by a member of the team led by Dr Thomas Schwartz MD,Assistant Professor of Psychiatry before and after each module in the Beatingthe Blues programme. This will meet the requirement of face to faceconsultations stipulated by insurance." Commenting at the beginning of this pilot programme, Ultrasis plc CEO GrahamLewis said, "This is a important step for Ultrasis in the US market, wherelatest figures estimate that millions of people are suffering from anxiety,stress and depression. With a clinically effective product, a growing acceptanceof the need to look at new, non-pharmaceutical ways of treating what is a majorsocial and economic problem, the remaining hurdle is one of funding." "If the project is successful, patients will be able to benefit from thetreatment safe in the knowledge that the associated costs will be funded justlike any other medical treatment. The roll out opportunities, in NY State andbeyond, could be significant and pave the way for growth in one of the world'slargest healthcare markets." In a related development, Ultrasis Inc has also announced today a partnershipwith the Center for Evidenced-Based Community Psychiatry of The SUNY UpstateMedical University. The partnership will allow for collaboration between anacademic medical center and a corporation to provide e-therapy solutionsnationally. John Hill stated, "This partnership will provide a respected researchinstitution access to proven e-therapy tools, while providing Ultrasis access togrant funded research initially focusing on rural access to services." Inaddition to pursuing research, the partnership will explore other developmentopportunities and sales opportunities in the government, academic and publiclyfunded sectors. ENDS EnquiriesUltrasis PlcCharlie Martin, Executive Director0207 566 3900 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange