Could a quicker switch to stronger meds beat bipolar depression?

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion criteria: 1. In- or out patients, at least 18 years of age. 2. Being willing and able to provide written informed consent. Having a legal guardian to cosign is allowed. Informed consent will be signed at visit 1, before any study procedure. 3. Female subjects of child bearing potential must use effective contraception during the trial as per the requirements of the applicable SmPCs and should have a negative pregnancy test at visit 1 or 2 (before randomisation). Male subjects that will use valproate acid during the trial must use effective contraceptive measures during the trial (see section 8.2.1). 4. Meeting diagnostic criteria for a primary diagnosis of bipolar depression (bipolar disorder type I and II currently in a depressive episode), according to DSM-5. The primary diagnosis will be confirmed by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI v7.0.2). 5. Subject experiences a treatment failure due to lack of efficacy in the current episode, as confirmed by a CGI-I ≥3; preferably, this treatment is a first-line pharmacotherapeutic agent for the primary DSM-5 diagnosis, and was prescribed for at least 4 weeks within an effective dose range as specified in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPCs). However, other lines of treatment are accepted as well. 6. Subject and clinician intend to change pharmacotherapeutic treatment. 7. A minimum symptom severity threshold needs to be present (moderate leve) and subject needs to experience functional impairment. * The minimum symptom severity threshold is a score of ≥20 on the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) * Functional impairment is defined as a score of 5 or higher on any of the three scales of the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS). Exclusion criteria 1. Being pregnant or breastfeeding. 2. Subject has a known intolerance to quetiapine or to all EIPT medication or to all TAU medication. 3. Meeting any of the contraindications for quetiapine, or to all EIPT medication or to all TAU medication options, as specified within the applicable SmPC, supported by clinically significant abnormal values on local laboratory tests, electrocardiogram (ECG) or physical examinations. 4. Subject has participated in another clinical trial in which the subject received an experimental or investigational drug or agent within 30 days before visit 1. 5. Subject experiences any other significant disease or disorder which, in the opinion of the investigator, may either put the subjects at risk because of participation in the trial, or may influence the result of the trial, or the subject's ability to participate in the trial. 6. Subjects with active suicidal ideation with some intent to act, without specific plan ("Yes" to question 4 of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)) or active suicidal ideation with specific plan and intent ("Yes" to question 5 of the C-SSRS), followed by an assessment by the treating clinician who determines it is not safe for the subject to participate in the study. 7. Subject meets criteria for current substance use disorder, as confirmed by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI v7.0.2). Nicotine dependency is allowed, as well as mild and moderate alcohol and/or cannabis use disorder (as defined by MINI v7.0.2). Severe alcohol and/or cannabis use disorder are not allowed. 8. Subjects have not been committed to an institution by virtue of an order issued either by the judicial or the administrative authorities. 9. A score of 12 or higher on the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) in order to exclude subjects with predominant manic symptoms or mixed symptoms. 10. Subjects dependent on the sponsor, investigator or trial site must be excluded from participation in advance. 11. Subjects with pre-existing severe liver damage (as tested within the local laboratory test at visit 1). 12. Subjects with a history of antidepressant-induced mania or hypomania or recent rapid cycling (based on the medical file of the potential participant or the clinical judgment of the clinician).