Medscape: The Case for Retaining Bereavement Exclusion

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"The evidence suggests that the excluded episodes are best considered a normal variation in bereavement and not a mental disorder," he added.
Reflection Advisable
In an accompanying editorial, Mario Maj, MD, PhD, of the Department of Psychiatry, University of Naples, Italy, and chairperson of the World Health Organization Working Group on the Classification of Mood and Anxiety Disorders, concludes that the removal of the BE from the diagnosis of major depressive episode can only be justified by "strong and unequivocal new research evidence. Wakefield and First's review...suggests that such a solid and consistent new evidence is not available."
"Further reflection," Dr. Maj writes, "seems therefore warranted before proceeding with the deletion of the bereavement exclusion.".....