MP: In a first, AIIMS Bhopal to use AI for treating depression

BHOPAL (Madhya Pradesh)

For the first time in the country, AIIMS, Bhopal, will be using an AI (Artificial Intelligence) tool for determining the best course of treatment for patients under depression.

The project was launched at a function at AIIMS on Thursday. It is a joint venture of AIIMS, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), USA, Harvard Medical School, National Health Mission, Madhya Pradesh health department and Sangath, a mental health research organisation.

“The project will help in providing affordable, personalised and better treatment,” Dr Debasis Biswas, Dean, Research, AIIMS, Bhopal told the Free Press.

Dr Biswas said that depression was a very common and growing mental problem. Patients of depression can be treated either through counselling or through medicines or through a combination of both. Presently, doctors, by and large, decide on the course of treatment through trial and error, he said.

“So, you prescribe one therapy and then after three months, you realise that it is not working and you switch to the other therapy. This leads to waste of time and unnecessary expenses,” Dr Biswas said.

The AI tool will predict which therapy would be the best for the patient. “The diagnosis, of course, would be done by the doctor,” he said.

Dr Biswas said that the project is at the trial stage presently. “We may be able to start testing it on patients from April next year,” he said.

Commissioner, Health Dr Sudam Khade, launched the project in the presence of Dr Prabhakar Tiwari, CMHO, Bhopal; and, Prof. Nitin M Nagarkar, Director in charge, AIIMS Bhopal.

“This project is going to be of huge benefit for the common man. I am glad that it is being implemented in Bhopal”, said Khade.

“The project aims to improve the outcomes of treatment for patients with depression by personalising the treatment options. This is going to be a landmark project”, said Dr. Nagarkar.

“This study will significantly impact the outcomes of depression care treatment in primary healthcare settings based in low resource settings”, said Dr. Vikram Patel, Professor, Harvard Medical School, who joined the event online.

This is the first of its kind study globally that uses a machine learning approach for improving mental health & well-being of individuals, and shows science leadership with implications for the field both nationally and internationally”, said Dr. Anant Bhan from Sangath said.

Dr. Vikram Patel from Harvard Medical School and Dr. Steve Hollon from Vanderbilt University will be Project Investigators. Dr. Anant Bhan, Sangath Bhopal; Dr. Debasis Biswas, AIIMS Bhopal and Dr. Abhijit Rozatkar, additional professor, Psychiatry, AIIMS Bhopal will lead the research study in Bhopal.