The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7227 p799
7 December 2002

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NICE (www.nice.org.uk)

NICE launches schizophrenia guidelines

Oral atypical antipsychotic drugs have been recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence as first-line treatment for people with newly diagnosed schizophrenia. In its first clinical guideline to the National Health Service, launched this week at NICE's fourth annual conference in Birmingham, it says that amisulpride, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone and zotepine at the lower end of the standard dose range are the preferred treatment for these patients.

The guideline also states that during episodes of acute illness, rapid tranquillisation is not necessary for the majority of patients and should not be resorted to routinely. Peter Pratt, chief pharmacist at the Community Health Sheffield NHS Trust and an adviser to the guideline development group, said it would help specialist pharmacists improve standards of practice locally "especially around rapid tranquillisation and treatment resistance, where one would expect the specialist pharmacist to be part of the decision making".

Mr Pratt told The Journal that the guideline gave a high priority to patient choice. He said: "Many patients prefer to discuss their medication with their community pharmacist, so there is an opportunity around patient choice. Hopefully, the pharmacist can help the patient exercise that choice." The guideline can be viewed on the NICE website.