Reasons for non‐prescription of clozapine in treatment‐resistant schizophrenia

Abstract

Abstract Background Patients in special hospitals who are suffering from schizophrenia have lengthy admissions and this is primarily as a result of poor response to standard neuroleptics. Clozapine has a specific licence for use in such cases yet a significant proportion of special hospital patients have never been exposed to clozapine. Method One third of patients in Ashworth Hospital with schizophrenia or schizoaffective psychosis who had never been prescribed clozapine were assessed using the PANSS and the NOSIE and by interviews. Results The main reason for non‐prescription of clozapine was the likelihood of poor compliance. Conclusion Measures to increase the compliance of this group of patients could have major benefits. Copyright © 1999 Whurr Publishers Ltd.