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Avrahami M, Liwinski T, Eckstein Z, Peskin M, Perlman P, Sarlon J, Lang UE, Amital D, Weizman A. Predictors of valproic acid steady-state serum levels in adult and pediatric psychiatric inpatients: a comparative analysis. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:1883-1894. [PMID: 38733528 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06603-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE Valproic acid (VPA) is commonly used as a second-line mood stabilizer or augmentative agent in severe mental illnesses. However, population pharmacokinetic studies specific to psychiatric populations are limited, and clinical predictors for the precision application of VPA remain undefined. OBJECTIVES To identify steady-state serum VPA level predictors in pediatric/adolescent and adult psychiatric inpatients. METHODS We analyzed data from 634 patients and 1,068 steady-state therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) data points recorded from 2015 to 2021. Steady-state VPA levels were obtained after tapering during each hospitalization episode. Electronic patient records were screened for routine clinical parameters and co-medication. Generalized additive mixed models were employed to identify independent predictors. RESULTS Most TDM episodes involved patients with psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia (29.2%) and schizoaffective disorder (17.3%). Polypharmacy was common, with the most frequent combinations being VPA + quetiapine and VPA + promethazine. Age was significantly associated with VPA levels, with pediatric/adolescent patients (< 18 years) demonstrating higher dose-adjusted serum levels of VPA (β = 7.6±2.34, p < 0.001) after accounting for BMI. Women tended to have higher adjusted VPA serum levels than men (β = 5.08±1.62, p < 0.001). The formulation of VPA (Immediate-release vs. extended-release) showed no association with VPA levels. Co-administration of diazepam exhibited a dose-dependent decrease in VPA levels (F = 15.7, p < 0.001), suggesting a potential pharmacokinetic interaction. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the utility of population-specific pharmacokinetic data for VPA in psychiatric populations. Age, gender, and co-administration of diazepam were identified as predictors of VPA levels. Further research is warranted to establish additional predictors and optimize the precision application of VPA in psychiatric patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matan Avrahami
- Young Children Department, Child & Adolescent Division, Petah Tikva and Faculty of Medicine, Geha Mental Health Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Timur Liwinski
- University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, University of Basel, Clinic for Adults, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, Basel, CH-4002, Switzerland.
| | - Zafrir Eckstein
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Geha Mental Health Center, Petah Tikva, and School of Pharmacy, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er-Sheva, Israel
| | - Miriam Peskin
- Young Children Department, Child & Adolescent Division, Petah Tikva and Faculty of Medicine, Geha Mental Health Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Polina Perlman
- Young Children Department, Child & Adolescent Division, Petah Tikva and Faculty of Medicine, Geha Mental Health Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Jan Sarlon
- University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, University of Basel, Clinic for Adults, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, Basel, CH-4002, Switzerland
| | - Undine E Lang
- University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, University of Basel, Clinic for Adults, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, Basel, CH-4002, Switzerland
| | - Daniela Amital
- Division of Psychiatry, Barzilai Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Ashkelon, Israel
| | - Abraham Weizman
- Young Children Department, Child & Adolescent Division, Petah Tikva and Faculty of Medicine, Geha Mental Health Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Laboratory of Biological and Molecular Psychiatry, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Hong M. What to Know Before Prescribing Antidepressants to Depressed Youths: A Focus on the Black Box Warning. J Korean Med Sci 2024; 39:e212. [PMID: 39015003 PMCID: PMC11249579 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Minha Hong
- Department of Psychiatry, Myongji Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Goyang, Republic of Korea.
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Cooney C, Kennedy N, Doherty A, Shipsey M, Lindow SW, Hinds C. Evaluation of a new Perinatal Mental Health Service in a University Maternity Hospital. Ir J Psychol Med 2023; 40:588-591. [PMID: 37231740 DOI: 10.1017/ipm.2023.18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services (SPMHS) are a new development in Ireland. This service evaluation examined the impact of the introduction of a SPMHS multidisciplinary team (MDT) on prescribing practices and treatment pathways in an Irish maternity hospital. METHODS Clinical charts were reviewed to collect data on all referrals, diagnoses, pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions delivered in a SPMHS over a 3-week period in 2019. The findings were compared to the same 3-week period in 2020 following the expansion of the SPMHS MDT. RESULTS In 2019 (n = 32) and 2020 (n = 47), most (75 and 79%, respectively) assessments were antenatal. The proportion of patients prescribed psychotropic medication within the SPMHS was not significantly different from 2019 (31%) to 2020 (23%), though more patients were already prescribed psychotropic medications at the time of referral (22% in 2019 v. 36% in 2020). There was an increase in MDT interventions in 2020 with more input from psychology, clinical nurse specialist (CNS), and social work intervention. Adherence to prescribing standards improved from 2019 to 2020. CONCLUSION Prescribing patterns remained unchanged between 2019 and 2020. Improvement was observed in adherence to prescribing standards and there was increased provision of MDT interventions in 2020. Broader diagnostic categories were also used in 2020, possibly suggesting that the service is now providing more individualized care.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Cooney
- Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service, Cork St, Dolphin's Barn, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - N Kennedy
- St. Patrick's University Hospital, St James' St, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - A Doherty
- Coombe Women and Infant's University Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - M Shipsey
- Coombe Women and Infant's University Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - S W Lindow
- Coombe Women and Infant's University Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - C Hinds
- Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service, Cork St, Dolphin's Barn, Dublin 8, Ireland
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Astărăstoae V, Rogozea LM. Against Authority: The Bioethics of Ivermectin Use for COVID-19 Infection. Am J Ther 2023:00045391-990000000-00143. [PMID: 37068020 DOI: 10.1097/mjt.0000000000001629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new ethical challenges to both health care professionals and the general public. Among the ethical problems amplified during this period were the making of medical decisions to quickly introduce some drugs into therapeutic practice with unproven or insufficiently proven effects (such as ivermectin), the validity of drug testing, and the allocation of limited resources. FIELDS OF UNCERTAINTY The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the attention of the entire scientific world a new problem, which exceeded the guidelines and rules known until then. Out of the desire to quickly solve this medical problem, a series of measures were taken, however not sufficiently validated in scientific terms; the recommendations regarding the use of drugs known for their properties to treat a greater number of conditions, such as ivermectin, was tried. DATA SOURCES A narrative review of the specialized literature was carried out using keywords such as COVID-19, ivermectin, ethics, and off-label medication from Scopus and Google Scholar but also of official documents developed at the international level (World Health Organization). ETHICS AND THERAPEUTIC ADVANCES The off-label use of ivermectin alone or in combination with other medications during COVID pandemic raised problems related to the demonstration of its effectiveness, but also to ethics, starting from the expectations that both the medical staff and the population had of it. Ivermectin therapy was also evaluated by analyzing the behavior of ivermectin based on ethical principles (nonmaleficence, beneficence, and respect for one's autonomy) or on justice. Even in times of pandemic, exceptionalism must not triumph, and finding an effective treatment must be done through studies that respect ethical standard. CONCLUSIONS The failures or rather lack of success in decision making during the pandemic showed that alongside scientific knowledge and the development of health policies, it is necessary to constantly evaluate the measures and decisions from an ethical point of view, and the prevention of slippages and abuses is not only necessary but even mandatory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasile Astărăstoae
- Faculty of Medicine, Grigore T Popa University of Medicine & Pharmacy, Iasi, Romania; and
| | - Liliana M Rogozea
- Basic, Preventive and Clinical Sciences Department, Transilvania University, Brasov, Romania
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Gauld C, Giroux É, Micoulaud-Franchi JA. [Introduction to the hierarchical taxonomy of psychopathology]. Encephale 2021; 48:92-101. [PMID: 34544589 DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2021.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In clinical practice, the usefulness of diagnosis based on the Diagnostic or Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or the International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition, appears essential from a clinical, research, epidemiological, administrative, economic and political level. However, such diagnostic systems have shortcomings in terms of validity, little consideration of comorbidities and strong intra-class heterogeneity. On a structural level, the operationalization of its criteria is based on a reliability which has been defined a posteriori and which does not lead to improving the validity of the diagnosis but rather to the reification of the diagnostic categories. METHODS First published in its current form in 2017, the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) constitutes a nosological alternative based on statistics. It conceptualizes psychopathology as a set of hierarchical dimensions, i.e. in "transdiagnostic" continua. The HiTOP is structured according to super-spectra, spectra, sub-factors, syndromes, components and symptoms. This comes from the current dimensional psychology and quantitative nosology. This article describes the basic principles of the HiTOP project and its potential to integrate into clinical and psychiatric research based on its advantages and limitations. RESULTS Unlike the DSM, which is descriptive and categorical, the HiTOP is first a dimensional classification. This dimensionality describes psychiatric phenomena on continua, each dimension providing a diagnostic continuum to situate a clinical patient. This dimensionality avoids the reification of categories and it limits the dichotomy between normal and pathological. In addition, HiTOP shows a hierarchical structure: vertical refinement of dimensions allows to circumvent the problem of comorbidities, proposes a new conception of etiopathogenic mechanisms, and improves management of care. DISCUSSION Thus, we provide an illustration of the applications of a dimensional and hierarchical classification in current clinical practice and scientific research, compared to traditional nosology. The challenges of the HiTOP arise in terms of validity, i.e. in the relation of dimensions with physiopathological mechanisms, in clinical terms, i.e. in the potential contribution of dimensions in relation to categories. Moreover, methodological challenges will be important given the inherent limitations of the HiTOP. CONCLUSION The HiTOP allows to examine the conceptualization of psychiatric disorders, the search for explanatory mechanisms, and treatment from another perspective for psychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Gauld
- Service de Psychiatrie, Université Grenoble-Alpes, avenue du Maquis du Grésivaudan, 38000 Grenoble, France; UMR CNRS 8590 IHPST, Sorbonne University, Paris 1, 75231 Paris, France.
| | - É Giroux
- Institut de Recherches philosophiques de Lyon (EA 4187), Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - J-A Micoulaud-Franchi
- Service universitaire de médecine du sommeil, CHU de Bordeaux, place Amélie-Raba-Léon, 33076 Bordeaux, France; USR CNRS 3413 SANPSY, université de Bordeaux, CHU Pellegrin, 33076 Bordeaux cédex, France
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Khawagi WY, Steinke DT, Nguyen J, Pontefract S, Keers RN. Development of prescribing safety indicators related to mental health disorders and medications: Modified e-Delphi study. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2020; 87:189-209. [PMID: 32436288 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.14391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM To develop a set of prescribing safety indicators related to mental health disorders and medications, and to estimate the risk of harm associated with each indicator. METHOD A modified two-stage electronic Delphi. The first stage consisted of two rounds in which 31 experts rated their agreement with a set of 101 potential mental health related prescribing safety indicators using a five-point scale and given the opportunity to suggest other indicators. Indicators that achieved 80% agreement were accepted. The second stage comprised a single round in which 29 members estimated the risk of harm for each accepted indicator by assessing the occurrence likelihood and outcome severity using two five-point scales. Indicators were considered high or extreme risk when at least 80% of participants rated each indicator as high or extreme. RESULTS Seventy-five indicators were accepted in the first stage. Following the second stage, 42 (56%) were considered to be high or extreme risk for patient care. The 42 indicators comprised different types of hazardous prescribing, including drug-disease interactions (n = 12), drug-drug interactions (n = 9), inadequate monitoring (n = 5), inappropriate duration (n = 4), inappropriate dose (n = 4), omissions (n = 4), potentially inappropriate medications (n = 3) and polypharmacy (n = 1). These indicators also covered different mental health related medication classes, including antipsychotics (n = 14), mood stabilisers (n = 8), antidepressants (n = 6), sedative, hypnotics and anxiolytics (n = 6), anticholinergic (n = 6) and nonspecific psychotropics (n = 2). CONCLUSION This study has developed the first suite of prescribing safety indicators related to mental health disorders and medications, which could inform the development of future safety improvement initiatives and interventional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wael Y Khawagi
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Douglas T Steinke
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Joanne Nguyen
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Pharmacy Department, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Sarah Pontefract
- School of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Richard N Keers
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Pharmacy Department, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
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Klimova B, Maresova P, Kuca K. Combat Military Personnel and Selective Risk Factors for the Development of Dementias - A Review. CURRENT PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH AND REVIEWS 2019. [DOI: 10.2174/1573400515666190114155451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
:
Due to the growth of life expectancies and the increasing number of elderly population all
over the world, there is a risk of growth of aging diseases such as dementia. Recent research studies
also indicate that there will be a growing number of military veterans who will be affected by dementia,
already at the age of 55+ years. In the case of combat military personnel, the most common
dementias are Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. These two dementias are very similar
because their main symptoms are the same. The purpose of this review is to explore two main risk
factors influencing the development of the dementias. These include posttraumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Furthermore, the authors of this study focus on the exploration
of the treatment of PTSD and TBI in order to delay the development of dementias among
combat military personnel.
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For the purpose of this study, a method of literature review of available sources exploring these two
main risk factors of dementia among combat military personnel was used. Based on the evaluation
of these literature sources, possibilities of pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to
the treatment and care of these people were described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanka Klimova
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Maresova
- Faculty of Informatics and Management, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanského 62, 50003, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Kamil Kuca
- Philosophical Faculty, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanského 62, 50003, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
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Keers RN, Plácido M, Bennett K, Clayton K, Brown P, Ashcroft DM. What causes medication administration errors in a mental health hospital? A qualitative study with nursing staff. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0206233. [PMID: 30365509 PMCID: PMC6203370 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Medication administration errors (MAEs) are a common risk to patient safety in mental health hospitals, but an absence of in-depth studies to understand the underlying causes of these errors limits the development of effective remedial interventions. This study aimed to investigate the causes of MAEs affecting inpatients in a mental health National Health Service (NHS) hospital in the North West of England. Methods Registered and student mental health nurses working in inpatient psychiatric units were identified using a combination of direct advertisement and incident reports and invited to participate in semi-structured interviews utilising the critical incident technique. Interviews were designed to capture the participants’ experiences of inpatient MAEs. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and subject to framework analysis to illuminate the underlying active failures, error/violation-provoking conditions and latent failures according to Reason’s model of accident causation. Results A total of 20 participants described 26 MAEs (including 5 near misses) during the interviews. The majority of MAEs were skill-based slips and lapses (n = 16) or mistakes (n = 5), and were caused by a variety of interconnecting error/violation-provoking conditions relating to the patient, medicines used, medicines administration task, health care team, individual nurse and working environment. Some of these local conditions had origins in wider organisational latent failures. Recurrent and influential themes included inadequate staffing levels, unbalanced staff skill mix, interruptions/distractions, concerns with how the medicines administration task was approached and problems with communication. Conclusions To our knowledge this is the first published in-depth qualitative study to investigate the underlying causes of specific MAEs in a mental health hospital. Our findings revealed that MAEs may arise due to multiple interacting error and violation provoking conditions and latent ‘system’ failures, which emphasises the complexity of this everyday task facing practitioners in clinical practice. Future research should focus on developing and testing interventions which address key local and wider organisational ‘systems’ failures to reduce error.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard N. Keers
- Centre for Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre (MAHSC), University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre, MAHSC, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Medicines Management Team, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Park House Hospital, North Manchester General Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Madalena Plácido
- Centre for Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre (MAHSC), University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Karen Bennett
- Medicines Management Team, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Park House Hospital, North Manchester General Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
- School of Health and Human Sciences, University of Bolton, Bolton, United Kingdom
| | - Kristen Clayton
- Medicines Management Team, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Park House Hospital, North Manchester General Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Petra Brown
- Medicines Management Team, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Park House Hospital, North Manchester General Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Darren M. Ashcroft
- Centre for Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre (MAHSC), University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre, MAHSC, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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Talevi A. Drug repositioning: current approaches and their implications in the precision medicine era. EXPERT REVIEW OF PRECISION MEDICINE AND DRUG DEVELOPMENT 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/23808993.2018.1424535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alan Talevi
- Laboratory of Research and Development of Bioactive Compounds – Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Exact Sciences, University of La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
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Yeomans D, Moncrieff J, Huws R. Drug-centred psychopharmacology: a non-diagnostic framework for drug treatment†. BJPSYCH ADVANCES 2018. [DOI: 10.1192/apt.bp.114.013094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
SummaryWe propose a ‘drug-centred’ framework for understanding the nature of drug treatment in psychiatry. In contrast to the prevailing ‘disease-centred’ model, which suggests that drugs work by targeting underlying abnormalities, the drug-centred model maintains that drugs exert their effects through their psychoactive properties. According to this view, distinctive drug-induced alterations to normal cognition, emotion and behaviour can modify the manifestations of mental disorders independent of diagnosis or aetiological theory. The drug-centred approach already forms the basis of some current practice, particularly off-label prescribing. Within this framework, the matching of drug-induced effects to symptoms or difficulties, taking into account the unwanted aspects of the drug-induced state, becomes the focus of a collaborative endeavour between doctor and patient, consistent with the principles of the recovery model. More research into the full range of effects that psychiatric drugs produce is required to ground a judicious drug-centred practice and inform psychiatric training.
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Off-label prescription of psychiatric drugs by non-psychiatrist physicians in three general hospitals in Germany. Ann Gen Psychiatry 2018; 17:7. [PMID: 29449869 PMCID: PMC5806239 DOI: 10.1186/s12991-018-0176-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Off-label prescribing of psychoactive drugs is a common practice in psychiatry. Here, we sought to investigate the frequency of off-label prescribing in a population of hospitalized patients with a somatic illness who were also suffering from a psychiatric pathology. METHODS Using a prospective, observational design, we collected data from 982 hospitalized patients with a somatic illness for whom a psychiatric consultation was requested because of the presence of additional psychiatric symptoms. Data were collected at three hospitals in Germany. Demographic and clinical data, including the previous psychoactive medications and an assessment of the suitability of the previous medications, were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS Data on the previous psychiatric medications were available for 972 patients. In 16.6% of patients, at least one psychoactive drug had been prescribed off-label, 20.2% had received on-label medication, and 63.2% had not received any psychiatric medication. Among all patients receiving psychiatric medication, 45.1% had received off-label medication. The logistic regression analysis showed a significant influence of age on the likelihood of receiving off-label medication (p = 0.018). Benzodiazepines were the most frequent off-label prescription (25.8% of off-label prescriptions), followed by atypical antipsychotics (18.2%) and low-potency antipsychotics (17.2%). Notably, 57.1% of off-label prescriptions were judged to be 'not indicated' by experienced psychiatrists. CONCLUSIONS Our data show a high frequency of the off-label prescription of psychoactive drugs by physicians treating patients with somatic illnesses in general hospitals. Because more than half of these cases were judged to be "not indicated", these prescriptions indicate a potential risk to patients. Furthermore, the classes of drugs that were most frequently prescribed off-label, benzodiazepines and antipsychotics, both show a substantial risk profile, particularly for elderly patients.
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Fletscher-Covaleda PM, López-Gutiérrez JJ, Machado-Duque M, Machado-Alba J. Off-label use of psychotropic drugs beyond officially approved indications in Colombia. REVISTA DE LA FACULTAD DE MEDICINA 2017. [DOI: 10.15446/revfacmed.v65n3.57439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Introducción. El uso de psicofármacos por fuera de las indicaciones aprobadas (off-label) es una práctica común, de la cual no se tiene información en Colombia.Objetivo. Describir el uso off-label de psicofármacos en una entidad promotora de salud de Bogotá D.C.Materiales y métodos. Estudio observacional de prescripción-indicación con una muestra aleatoria de pacientes prescritos con psicofármacos entre enero y junio de 2010. Se evaluaron variables sociodemográficas, clínicas, farmacológicas y de concordancia y se realizaron análisis multivariados buscando asociación con prescripciones no aprobadas.Resultados. Los 420 pacientes evaluados tenían una edad promedio de 44.2±18.8 años, con predominio femenino (67.9%). Se encontró prescripción no aprobada en 58.6-59.8% de los casos; el 84.3% de las formulas fueron hechas por medicina general. Los principales psicofármacos en indicaciones como cefalea tensional e insomnio fueron amitriptilina (n=128; 86.7% de uso no aprobado), trazodona (n=93; 88.2%) y fluoxetina (n=66; 36.4%). En el análisis multivariado se halló que ser un adulto joven (OR=1.99; IC95%: 1.06-3.70; p=0.030), ser tratado por medicina general (OR=3.40; IC95%: 1.50-7.67; p=0.003) y ser formulado con amitriptilina (OR=11.38; IC95%: 5.06-25.58; p<0.001) o trazodona (OR=13.08; IC95%: 5.23-32.68; p<0.001) aumentan la probabilidad de recibir una prescripción no aprobada.Conclusiones. En la aseguradora estudiada, los psicofármacos son utilizados en una importante proporción de indicaciones no aprobadas por las autoridades regulatorias, por lo cual es importante fortalecer la educación y el control para el empleo de los medicamentos de manera racional, efectiva y segura.
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Baumann P, Spies M, Möller HJ, Kasper S, Bitter I, Laux G. A proposal for a psychopharmacology-pharmacotherapy catalogue of learning objectives and a curriculum in Europe. World J Biol Psychiatry 2017; 18:29-38. [PMID: 26850137 DOI: 10.3109/15622975.2016.1149219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Post-graduate training for specialisation in psychiatry and psychotherapy is part of a 4-6-year programme. This paper aims to inform on the general situation of teaching and training of psychopharmacology-psychopharmacotherapy in Europe. It presents the need for a psychopharmacotherapy education in psychiatric training programmes. Arguments as well as a proposal for a catalogue of learning objectives and an outline of a psychopharmacology curriculum are presented. Methods Based on their experience and on an analysis of the literature, the authors, experts in psychopharmacology-pharmacotherapy teaching, critically analyse the present situation and propose the development of a curriculum at the European level. Results Teaching programmes vary widely between European countries and, generally, teaching of psychopharmacology and pharmacotherapy does not exceed two-dozen hours. This is insufficient if one considers the central importance of psychopharmacology. A psychopharmacology-psychopharmacotherapy curriculum for the professional training of specialists in psychiatry and psychotherapy is proposed. Conclusions As the number of hours of theoretical teaching and practical training is insufficient, a catalogue of learning objectives should be established, which would then be part of a comprehensive curriculum at the European level. It could be inspired partly by those few previously proposed by other groups of authors and organisations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Baumann
- a Department of Psychiatry (DP-CHUV) , University of Lausanne, Site de Cery , Prilly-Lausanne , Switzerland
| | - Marie Spies
- b Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Medical University of Vienna , Vienna , Austria
| | - Hans-Jürgen Möller
- c Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig-Maximilians-University , Munich , Germany
| | - Siegfried Kasper
- b Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Medical University of Vienna , Vienna , Austria
| | - Istvan Bitter
- d Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Semmelweis University , Budapest , Hungary
| | - Gerd Laux
- e Institute of Psychological Medicine (IPM), Haag i.OB, and Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig-Maximilians-University , Munich , Germany
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Sharma AN, Arango C, Coghill D, Gringras P, Nutt DJ, Pratt P, Young AH, Hollis C. BAP Position Statement: Off-label prescribing of psychotropic medication to children and adolescents. J Psychopharmacol 2016; 30:416-21. [PMID: 27098018 DOI: 10.1177/0269881116636107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The off-label use of medicines for children and adolescents remains a common and important issue for prescribing practice across child and adolescent psychiatry, paediatrics and primary care. This editorial focusses on psychotropic drug treatment, which plays an essential part in the comprehensive management of a range of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders. Despite a growing evidence base for drug treatment in child and adolescent psychiatric disorders, much psychotropic medication continues to be prescribed off-label (i.e. outside the limits of the marketing authorisation or product license). The reasons for and implications of off-label prescribing, including the potential clinical benefits/risks and medico-legal implications, are often poorly understood by both patients and prescribers. An important unintended consequence of the uncertainties and confusion surrounding the status of off-label prescribing for children and adolescents may be that effective drug treatments are being withheld or underused. This BAP Position Statement aims to clarify these issues, challenge some of the myths surrounding off-label prescribing for children and adolescents and offer practical guidance for prescribers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya N Sharma
- Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Celso Arango
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Coghill
- Departments of Paediatrics and Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Paul Gringras
- Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' Trust, London, UK Kings College London, London, UK
| | - David J Nutt
- Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Peter Pratt
- Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Allan H Young
- Centre for Affective Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Chris Hollis
- University of Nottingham and Institute of Mental Health, Developmental Psychiatry, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK
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Psychotropic prescribing patterns among adolescents in Northern Ireland presenting with psychotic symptoms during a 5-year period. Ir J Psychol Med 2016; 33:13-20. [PMID: 30115171 DOI: 10.1017/ipm.2015.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To report new prescriptions of psychotropic medications among adolescents presenting with new onset psychotic symptoms during a 5-year period. METHODS The Northern Ireland Early Onset Psychosis Study is a naturalistic longitudinal observational study of patients with an early onset first psychotic episode. All patients aged <18 years presenting to specialist mental health services across Northern Ireland with new onset psychotic symptoms between 2001 and 2006 were recruited (n=113). Clinical case notes were analysed retrospectively for details of subsequent treatment with psychotropic medications. RESULTS A total of 100 patients (88.5%) were prescribed some form of psychotropic medication. Over three-quarters of patients received an antipsychotic as their first medication. Risperidone (45.8%), olanzapine (24.0%) and chlorpromazine (12.5%) were the most commonly prescribed first-line antipsychotic medications. Of a total of 160 antipsychotic prescriptions, 81 (50.6%) were off-label. Prescriptions were most likely to have been deemed off-label owing to medications not being licensed in under-18s (71.6% of off-label prescriptions) but other reasons were medications being used outside licensed age ranges (23.5%) and outside licensed indications (4.9%). CONCLUSIONS This is the first study examining psychotropic prescribing patterns in a complete sample of all children and adolescents presenting with early onset psychotic episodes in a single geographical area. The observation of risperidone as the most commonly prescribed antipsychotic was in keeping with previous studies in child and adolescent populations. Rates of off-label prescribing were lower than previously observed although our study was the first to investigate off-label prescribing solely in children and adolescents presenting with psychotic symptoms.
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Benson T, O'Neill S, Murphy S, Ferry F, Bunting B. Prevalence and predictors of psychotropic medication use: results from the Northern Ireland Study of Health and Stress. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci 2015; 24:542-52. [PMID: 25222037 PMCID: PMC8367367 DOI: 10.1017/s2045796014000547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Revised: 06/20/2014] [Accepted: 06/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To identify the predictors of psychotropic medication use and to determine rates and patterns of use in Northern Ireland (NI) among the general population and various subgroups. METHOD Analysis of data from the NI Study of Health and Stress, a representative household survey undertaken between 2004 and 2008 with 4340 individuals. Respondents were asked about prescribed psychotropic medication use in the previous 12 months along with a series of demographic questions and items regarding experience of traumatic life events. Mental health disorders were assessed using the World Health Organization's Composite International Diagnostic Interview. RESULTS Females, individuals aged 50-64 years old, those who were previously married, and those who had experienced a traumatic lifetime event were more likely to have taken any psychotropic medication. Use of any psychotropic medication in the population in the previous 12 months was 14.9%. Use among individuals who met the criteria for a 12-month mental health disorder was 38.5%. Almost one in ten individuals (9.4%) had taken an antidepressant. CONCLUSIONS Compared with other countries, NI has high proportions of individuals using psychotropic medication in both the general population and those who met the criteria for a 12-month mental disorder. However, these results still suggest possible under treatment of mental disorders in the country. In addition, rates of use in those with no disorder are relatively high. The predictors of medication use are similar to findings in other countries. Possible research and policy implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. Benson
- School of Psychology, University of Ulster, Magee Campus, Northland Road, Londonderry, Northern Ireland BT48 7JL, UK
| | - S. O'Neill
- School of Psychology, University of Ulster, Magee Campus, Northland Road, Londonderry, Northern Ireland BT48 7JL, UK
| | - S. Murphy
- School of Psychology, University of Ulster, Magee Campus, Northland Road, Londonderry, Northern Ireland BT48 7JL, UK
| | - F. Ferry
- School of Psychology, University of Ulster, Magee Campus, Northland Road, Londonderry, Northern Ireland BT48 7JL, UK
| | - B. Bunting
- School of Psychology, University of Ulster, Magee Campus, Northland Road, Londonderry, Northern Ireland BT48 7JL, UK
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Antipsychotics and mood stabilisers are prescribed widely to patients with psychiatric disorders worldwide. Despite clear evidence for their efficacy in relapse prevention and symptom relief, their effect on some adverse outcomes, including the perpetration of violent crime, is unclear. We aimed to establish the effect of antipsychotics and mood stabilisers on the rate of violent crime committed by patients with psychiatric disorders in Sweden. METHODS We used linked Swedish national registers to study 82,647 patients who were prescribed antipsychotics or mood stabilisers, their psychiatric diagnoses, and subsequent criminal convictions in 2006-09. We did within-individual analyses to compare the rate of violent criminality during the time that patients were prescribed these medications versus the rate for the same patients while they were not receiving the drugs to adjust for all confounders that remained constant within each participant during follow-up. The primary outcome was the occurrence of violent crime, according to Sweden's national crime register. FINDINGS In 2006-09, 40,937 men in Sweden were prescribed antipsychotics or mood stabilisers, of whom 2657 (6·5%) were convicted of a violent crime during the study period. In the same period, 41,710 women were prescribed these drugs, of whom 604 (1·4 %) had convictions for violent crime. Compared with periods when participants were not on medication, violent crime fell by 45% in patients receiving antipsychotics (hazard ratio [HR] 0·55, 95% CI 0·47-0·64) and by 24% in patients prescribed mood stabilisers (0·76, 0·62-0·93). However, we identified potentially important differences by diagnosis-mood stabilisers were associated with a reduced rate of violent crime only in patients with bipolar disorder. The rate of violence reduction for antipsychotics remained between 22% and 29% in sensitivity analyses that used different outcomes (any crime, drug-related crime, less severe crime, and violent arrest), and was stronger in patients who were prescribed higher drug doses than in those prescribed low doses. Notable reductions in violent crime were also recorded for depot medication (HR adjusted for concomitant oral medications 0·60, 95% CI 0·39-0·92). INTERPRETATION In addition to relapse prevention and psychiatric symptom relief, the benefits of antipsychotics and mood stabilisers might also include reductions in the rates of violent crime. The potential effects of these drugs on violence and crime should be taken into account when treatment options for patients with psychiatric disorders are being considered. FUNDING The Wellcome Trust, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service, the Swedish Research Council, and the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seena Fazel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK.
| | - Johan Zetterqvist
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Henrik Larsson
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Niklas Långström
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Paul Lichtenstein
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Hassan L, Frisher M, Senior J, Tully M, Webb R, While D, Shaw J. A cross-sectional prevalence survey of psychotropic medication prescribing patterns in prisons in England. HEALTH SERVICES AND DELIVERY RESEARCH 2014. [DOI: 10.3310/hsdr02330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundThe prevalence of mental illness is significantly higher among prisoners than among people in the wider community. Psychotropic prescribing in prisons is a complex and controversial area, where prescribers balance individual health needs against security and safety risks. However, there are no current data on prescribing patterns in prisons or how these compare with those in the wider community.AimsThe study aimed to determine the prevalence, appropriateness and acceptability of psychotropic prescribing in prisons. The objectives were to determine rates of prescribing for psychotropic medications, compared with those in the wider community; the appropriateness of psychotropic prescribing in prisons; and the perceived satisfaction and acceptability of prescribing decisions to patients and general practitioners (GPs).MethodEleven prisons, housing 6052 men and 785 women, participated in a cross-sectional survey of psychotropic prescribing. On census days, data were extracted from clinical records for all patients in receipt of hypnotics, anxiolytics, antipsychotics, antimanics, antidepressants and central nervous system stimulants. The Clinical Practice Research Datalink supplied an equivalent data set for a random sample of 30,602 patients prescribed psychotropic medicines in the community. To determine the acceptability of prescribing decisions, patients attending GP consultations at three prisons were surveyed (n = 156). Pre- and post-consultation questionnaires were administered, covering expectations and satisfaction with outcomes, including prescribing decisions. Doctors (n = 6) completed post-consultation questionnaires to explore their perspectives on consultations.ResultsOverall, 17% of men and 48% of women in prison were prescribed at least one psychotropic medicine. After adjusting for age differences, psychotropic prescribing rates were four times higher among men [prevalence ratio (PR) 4.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.75 to 4.30] and six times higher among women (PR 5.95, 95% CI 5.36 to 6.61) than among community patients. There were significant preferences for certain antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs in prison, compared with in the community. In 65.3% of cases, indications for psychotropic drugs were recorded and upheld in theBritish National Formulary. Antipsychotic prescriptions were less likely than other psychotropics to be supported by a valid indication in the patient notes (PR 0.75, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.83). In the acceptability study, patients who identified mental health as their primary problem were more likely than individuals who identified other types of health problems to want to start, stop and/or change their medication (PR 1.46, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.74), and to report dissatisfaction following the consultation (PR 1.76, 95% CI 1.01 to 3.08). Doctors were more likely to issue prescriptions when they thought that the patient wanted a prescription (PR 4.2, 95% CI 2.41 to 7.28), they perceived pressure to prescribe (PR 1.66, 95% CI 1.26 to 2.19), and/or the problem related to mental health (PR 1.67, 95% CI 1.27 to 2.20).ConclusionsPsychotropic medicines were prescribed more frequently in prisons than in the community. Without current and robust data on comparative rates of mental illness, it is not possible to fully assess the appropriateness of psychotropic prescribing. Nonetheless, psychotropic medicines were prescribed for a wider range of clinical indications than currently recommended, with discernible differences in drug choice. Complex health and security concerns exist within prisons. Further research is necessary to determine the effect of psychotropic prescribing on physical health, and to determine the optimum balance between medicines and alternative treatments in prisons.FundingThe National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lamiece Hassan
- Centre for Mental Health and Risk, Institute of Brain and Behaviour, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Martin Frisher
- School of Pharmacy and Medicines Management, Keele University, Keele, UK
| | - Jane Senior
- Centre for Mental Health and Risk, Institute of Brain and Behaviour, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Mary Tully
- Manchester Pharmacy School, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Roger Webb
- Centre for Mental Health and Risk, Institute of Brain and Behaviour, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - David While
- Centre for Mental Health and Risk, Institute of Brain and Behaviour, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Jenny Shaw
- Centre for Mental Health and Risk, Institute of Brain and Behaviour, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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Andrade LJDO, França LS, Melo PRSD, Araújo M. Off-label prescriptions in diabetic foot. J Vasc Bras 2014. [DOI: 10.1590/jvb.2014.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Prescription of a drug outside of the indications for which it was originally approved by regulators is internationally known as "off-label" prescription. We describe off-label treatments for the diabetic foot reported in international scientific literature. This is a qualitative and descriptive bibliographical review based on the results of a search of the Medline international database. The criteria for review were publication between January 1985 and November 2013, and the MeSH (Medical Subject Heading) keywords "off-label use" OR "off-label" OR "off-label prescribing" plus "diabetic foot" were input on the search form. Nine studies were selected that contained information about off-label treatments for the diabetic foot. We conclude that the practice of off-label prescribing has potential benefits. In some situations an off-label prescription is the only treatment available for patients, either because a more targeted drug does not exist, or because other methods of treatment are ineffective or unavailable due to patient intolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Marcelo Araújo
- Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz – UESC, Brasil; Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Itabuna – SCMI, Brasil
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Baldwin DS, Anderson IM, Nutt DJ, Allgulander C, Bandelow B, den Boer JA, Christmas DM, Davies S, Fineberg N, Lidbetter N, Malizia A, McCrone P, Nabarro D, O'Neill C, Scott J, van der Wee N, Wittchen HU. Evidence-based pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder: a revision of the 2005 guidelines from the British Association for Psychopharmacology. J Psychopharmacol 2014; 28:403-39. [PMID: 24713617 DOI: 10.1177/0269881114525674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 377] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
This revision of the 2005 British Association for Psychopharmacology guidelines for the evidence-based pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders provides an update on key steps in diagnosis and clinical management, including recognition, acute treatment, longer-term treatment, combination treatment, and further approaches for patients who have not responded to first-line interventions. A consensus meeting involving international experts in anxiety disorders reviewed the main subject areas and considered the strength of supporting evidence and its clinical implications. The guidelines are based on available evidence, were constructed after extensive feedback from participants, and are presented as recommendations to aid clinical decision-making in primary, secondary and tertiary medical care. They may also serve as a source of information for patients, their carers, and medicines management and formulary committees.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Baldwin
- 1Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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Sugarman P, Mitchell A, Frogley C, Dickens GL, Picchioni M. Off-licence prescribing and regulation in psychiatry: current challenges require a new model of governance. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol 2013; 3:233-43. [PMID: 24167695 PMCID: PMC3805431 DOI: 10.1177/2045125312472530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The growing worldwide use of pharmaceuticals is managed in some countries by a regulatory system which sharply divides legal use into licensed and unlicensed categories. We examine how for the range of psychotropics this simultaneously restricts the possible benefits to patients, prescribers and producers in some domains, while failing to manage the risks in others. A more flexible system, which shares at an earlier stage experience and evidence on benefits and risks in patients, previously marginalized on the grounds of age, diagnosis or comorbidity, would aid the development of safer, more effective 'real-world prescribing'. Practical recommendations are made for a new model of research and prescribing governance, to enable more effective repurposing of these treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Sugarman
- Chief Executive Officer, St Andrew's Healthcare, Northampton, UK
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Nobre PFDS. Prescrição Off-Label no Brasil e nos EUA: aspectos legais e paradoxos. CIENCIA & SAUDE COLETIVA 2013; 18:847-54. [DOI: 10.1590/s1413-81232013000300030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2011] [Accepted: 09/10/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Analisar as características legais da prescrição off-label no Brasil comparando com a realidade regulatória norte-americana de forma a verificar se esta é ou não decorrência da estrutura do processo normativo como se dá na atualidade. Levantamento bibliográfico em português e inglês em bases de dados públicas sobre legislação, artigos, teses e livros usando as chaves de busca off-label, direito sanitário, regulação sanitária, com as respectivas traduções para o inglês. No Brasil e nos EUA os órgãos de vigilância sanitária de produtos não têm competência legal para intervir na prática médica em si e não podem restringir a prescrição off-label para além das ações educativas. Dentro do processo regulatório, a indicação de uso é um desfecho a partir do qual se determina segurança e eficácia mínimas para comercialização, mas não é fator restritivo prático, o que não exime os profissionais de ações legais por responsabilidade civil. As ações públicas para restringir o uso off-label são mais frequentes no controle à divulgação e incentivo desse tipo de uso à comunidade médica. O uso off-label é uma conta de risco-benefício feito pelo clínico assistente e que tem prós e contras descritos na literatura. A legislação brasileira e sua postura ainda carecem de maior observação e posterior desenvolvimento.
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Abstract
ISSUE:Standards for thepracticeof medicine are increasingly being confused with standards for thesaleandreimbursementof medicines. Authority for prescribing of psychotropic drugs, whether on-label or off-label, is determined by the standard of medical care set by practitioners, not by regulators of the pharmaceutical industry.
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Harrison PJ, Baldwin DS, Barnes TRE, Burns T, Ebmeier KP, Ferrieer IN, Nutt DJ. No psychiatry without psychopharmacology. Br J Psychiatry 2011; 199:263-5. [PMID: 22187725 DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.111.094334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
SummaryThe use of psychotropic medication is an important part of most psychiatrists' clinical practice. We propose here that psychiatry needs to give more prominence to psychopharmacology in order to ensure that psychiatric drugs are used effectively and safely. The issue has several ramifications, including the future of psychiatry as a medical discipline.
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Hertogh CMPM. [Development of a charter for older people in clinical trials: PREDICT]. Tijdschr Gerontol Geriatr 2011; 40:180-3. [PMID: 21140953 DOI: 10.1007/bf03079586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Recent national guidelines on dementia and stroke demonstrate an unmistakable age gap: although both conditions are very prevalent in older people, the evidence supporting these guidelines is mainly drawn from research performed in younger patients. These examples are illustrative of a wider problem. When it comes to drug trials the underrepresentation of elderly people in clinical studies can have devastating effects. Under- and overtreatment as well as 'off label' prescription are common in this age group and they are overrepresented when it comes to negative treatment outcomes and adverse effects. Awareness of the pervasiveness of these problems is growing and there are several initiatives to improve medication safety in elderly patients. However, most of these focus on medication that is already certified, leaving the principle cause of the problem, namely the exclusion of the elderly from clinical trials, untouched. This issue is now being tackled by a European research consortium called PREDICT (Increasing the PaRticipation of the ElDerly In Clinical Trials). Using a multi-method approach this project assesses the participation of older people in recent and ongoing trials, surveys their views on facilitators and barriers to participation, as well as those of health professionals and ethicists and aims to use these findings to draft a charter for the rights of elderly people in clinical trials.
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Abstract
Psychotropic drug prescribing for children and adolescents is frequently off-label and has increased over time and can be controversial. Psychotropic prescribing in two large UK medium secure units for young people has been studied. A total of 89 patients were included, 64% being aged less than 18 years. A total of 137 of 202 (67.8%) of prescriptions were off-label. The most common reasons for a prescription being off-label were the indication (N = 103) and the patient's age (N = 41). The main classes of drugs involved were antipsychotics (N = 59), antiepileptics as mood stabilisers (N = 22), anticholinergics and hyoscine (N = 15) and antidepressants (N = 11). Aggression (N = 48) and post-traumatic stress disorder (N = 30) were the most common off-label indications. Some antidepressant prescriptions were contrary to advice of the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM). Meta-analyses or randomised controlled trials supported 27% of off-label prescriptions, with lesser quality studies supporting a further 29.2% and expert opinion 38.7%, whereas for 5.1% no evidence could be found. Prescribers tended to over-estimate the level of evidence from clinical trials or extrapolated from findings in adults. They often quoted their own experience rather than expert sources to justify their prescribing practice. It is important that prescribers are fully aware of the quality of experimental data and the risk-benefit ratio when prescribing off-label for young persons. If the evidence base is limited, it is particularly important to provide information about the risks and benefits of the treatment to the patient/relatives. A second opinion may be helpful. Both target symptoms and side effects should be monitored and regularly reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Haw
- St Andrew's Hospital, Northampton, UK.
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Ghosh S, Arulrajan AE, Baldwin D. Unlicensed applications of licensed psychotropic drugs in an intellectual disability clinical service: retrospective case-note study. JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES : JOID 2010; 14:237-243. [PMID: 21062859 DOI: 10.1177/1744629510381943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Prescribing of psychotropic drugs for unlicensed indications is common in inpatients with intellectual disability, but the frequency in the community is uncertain. This study examined the medical records of all patients undergoing review within a single service led by a consultant psychiatrist. The notes of 114 individuals with varying degrees of disability and independence were available. In 78 percent of individuals the cause of disability was uncertain; 72, 69 and 78 percent had mental health problems, physical ill-health and behavioural challenges respectively; and 66 percent received licensed drugs for unlicensed applications, principally for aggression, risperidone being the drug most prescribed. There were no significant differences between groups with mild, moderate or severe disability in the proportion receiving licensed and unlicensed prescriptions. Unlicensed prescribing was similarly common for patients living in different settings. Prescribing for unlicensed applications in patients with intellectual disability is common, regardless of degree of disability or place of residence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumya Ghosh
- Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, UK.
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