The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 277 No 7425 p545
4 November 2006

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· Supermarket pharmacy
· Pfizer products (2)
· Professional image
· Paracetamol
· Varicella
· Psychotropic medicines
· Dispensing

Letters to the Editor

Psychotropic medicines

Need for more depot preparations

From Anon Pharmacist

I believe there is a shortfall in the provision of services to mental health patients that pharmacy could address. There is a gap in the availability and range of antipsychotic depot drugs that constitutes both a sad lack for the mentally ill and possibly a gap in the market for the drug companies to explore.

Currently there is a lot of debate about the newer atypical antipsychotic drugs and their advantage over the older style antipsychotics. This discussion really only applies to oral medication because there is, to my knowledge, only one newer atypical, risperidone, available on the market as a depot preparation.

I would like to say how much “cleaner” the newer antipsychotics are in their side effect profile compared with the older drugs. It was once my misfortune to be prescribed a couple of depot drugs. It was an unpleasant time for me and I will always remember the side effects, which included simultaneous sedation and agitation (a most peculiar, restive feeling), a raging appetite and consequent weight gain, hypersalivation, an inability to speak coherently, constipation and reduced libido. The side effects of depot medications can be deeply distressing.

The mentally ill are often forgotten, I believe, and it would be a great thing if there were more atypical antipsychotic drugs available in the depot form.

Anon Pharmacist
298/2

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