Why I'm Angry at Uncle Sam Today: Aussies are beating us in the quest for cures

I just saw an exciting article on Yahoo! News regarding the role of thinning grey matter in a specific area of the brain and its relationship to cognitive dysfunction. This brings more understanding of schizophrenia that will eventually lead to a cure. As of right now there are 17 articles concerning schizophrenia research in English world-wide on Google News. This is big news as far as schizophrenia news goes. Usually, up to four articles would be published on a piece of schizophrenia research, which I think would be significant news, let alone 17!

So, who discovered this important piece of information? The scientists at the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH)? The National Association for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression's people? No. This research was not controlled by American researchers. It was done by Aussies (Australians) at Neuroscience Institute of Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders in New South Wales.

I'm thinking, "I've never heard of these people." They aren't the big players I'd think would be able to do this kind of research. So, this groundbreaking research was done by some people from the land down under.

Australia has approximately 20,000 people with schizophrenia. New York City alone has more than three times that amount. And this is not the first time Aussies have done some heavy lifting in the field of schizophrenia research. In 2004 the scientists at Melbourne Mental Health Research Institute found 69 candidate genes that seem to be implicated in the disease. These Aussie scientists are good friends to people with schizophrenia all over the world.

Now, where does that leave the United States in this quest for academic excellence and cures for serious mental disorders? We're way behind where we should be. Well, NIMH has a budget for all mental disorders research of a little more than one billion dollars a year. That sounds like a lot of money to most people. Wow! A billion dollars a year! In reality, it's almost nothing. According to some estimates, each year schizophrenia costs about 20 billion dollars annually. Costs to American society that are associated with depression and other mental disorders makes the 20 billion seem like small change.

I think that many people in government think in terms of only dollars and cents. That being the case, if we cured schizophrenia, this would free up $20 billion a year for the American economy. Think of the good that could be done if we could cure only one disorder tomorrow!

Don't get me wrong, American scientists are good. However, they are hampered in this search for a cure for many mental illnesses by a government that is more intent on making war and our military-industrial complex bigger. America should take a leadership role in the search for cures for mental illness by putting its money where its future is.

Uncle Sam, do not forsake we who are living with mental illness! We are sons and daughters of this land as much as anyone else. We are citizens that deserve more of that pie that is the wealth of America to further our good, and this would be good for the rest of America.

Imagine more people with mental illness entering the workforce. Imagine the jails less crowded by people with mental illness because they have better judgment thanks to the right treatment. It can happen. It will happen. It's just a matter of when. Don't you want to be remembered by those who care about the mentally ill as a benevolent and wise Uncle Sam? Don't let the Aussies get all the credit!