"Our established ways of assessing the benefits and risks of Glybera were challenged by the extreme rarity of the condition and also by uncertainties associated with data provided, " he said.
Whereas people with "regular old depression" tend to be highly vulnerable to psychological stress, one way of thinking about bipolar disorder is that it is a condition of extreme sensitivity to the circles of time.
Last year a commission chaired by Lord Falconer, the former Lord Chancellor, concluded that a small number of people felt the extreme suffering caused by their condition could only be relieved by ending their own life or the knowledge they could do so.
More attention will be given to extreme sickness in early pregnancy, and women with this condition will be taken more seriously - which can only be a good thing.
What if a serious form of asthma or heart condition is discovered that could cause sudden death or stroke under the extreme conditions of professional competition?