Depression is a serious problem. More than 1 in 10 Canadians report having symptoms of depression over their lifetime. Depression is usually treated with drugs or counselling, but sometimes treatment doesn’t work as well as it should.
Health Quality Ontario Reviews Deep Brain Stimulation for Treatment-Resistant Depression
Deep brain stimulation delivers small electrical pulses to certain parts of the brain. A surgeon put tiny electrodes in the patient’s brain, and then connects them to a small transmitter that gets implanted just below the patient’s collarbone.
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has accepted this recommendation.
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has provided the following response: The Ministry has no current plans to fund this treatment for this purpose.