[Comment] Clozapine: old drugs require efforts to improve patient experience and access
Treatment-resistant schizophrenia is a disabling illness, affecting approximately 8 million people worldwide with profound effects on patients, families, and society.1,2 Clozapine is the gold standard medication for treatment-resistant schizophrenia and remains the only licensed treatment for this indication. It is clinically effective in 40% of patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia,3 and improves patients’ quality of life, reduces premature mortality, and is cost-effective.4,5 Furthermore, once commenced on clozapine, the majority of patients prefer clozapine to their previous antipsychotic medications.
Treatment-resistant schizophrenia is a disabling illness, affecting approximately 8 million people worldwide with profound effects on patients, families, and society.1,2 Clozapine is the gold standard medication for treatment-resistant schizophrenia and remains the only licensed treatment for this indication. It is clinically effective in 40% of patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia,3 and improves patients’ quality of life, reduces premature mortality, and is cost-effective.4,5 Furthermore, once commenced on clozapine, the majority of patients prefer clozapine to their previous antipsychotic medications.