Opinion: The FDA must remove an unnecessary barrier to the use of clozapine for treatment-resistant schizophrenia
If the FDA follows an advisory committee’s vote, it can potentially be a transformative step in the delivery of mental health care in this country.
When Christen White’s brother had his first psychotic episode thinking Steven Spielberg was stalking him, it was a shocking and overwhelming experience for loved ones.
“My brother lived with schizophrenia for 10 years,” White wrote to me in an email, “and our biggest battle was ensuring his safety and trying to keep him well. Unfortunately, the failures of the mental health care system compounded the challenges we faced.” This led her to becoming involved with The Angry Moms, a grassroots effort advocating for the safe use of clozapine, an antipsychotic medication. (The Angry Moms has not received any donations from companies or corporations, but some members of the group are employed by or have financial ties to clozapine-related companies.)
