Saturday, September 30, 2023
Letter blocks spelling "CANCER" and spilled pills in various colors on a white background

Cancer Risk Higher for Those on Clozapine

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The antipsychotic clozapine, considered the “gold-standard” treatment for psychosis, was found to increase the risk of blood and lymph system cancers.

Breaking Blind: Antipsychotic Drug Efficacy May Be Overestimated

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Only 4 of 188 antipsychotic trials assessed blinding, and in all 4 cases, the blind was broken, potentially leading to an overestimation of the drug effect.

Industry Corruption in Systematic Review for Injectable Antipsychotics

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Researchers highlight how systematic reviews are compromised by pharmaceutical industry ties by exposing a study of injectable antipsychotics.

Many Service Users Interested in Decreasing Antipsychotic Use with Professional Help

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New research examines service user attitudes on discontinuing and reducing antipsychotic drugs.

Antipsychotics Often Prescribed Without Informed Consent

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New research reveals that patients are often not given fully informed consent before being prescribed antipsychotics.

Antipsychotics Worsen Cognitive Functioning in First-Episode Psychosis

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Withholding antipsychotics may be beneficial for memory, the researchers write.

Manufacturer of Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) Drugs Finds TD Emotionally Devastating

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“Patients expressed feeling unaccepted by society or uncomfortable in their own skin… A few indicated that they would rather be dead than have tardive dyskinesia.”

Antipsychotics Linked to Increased Breast Cancer Risk

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Long-term exposure to prolactin-increasing antipsychotics increases the odds of developing breast cancer.

New Rating Tool for Tapering Antidepressants and Antipsychotics

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Researchers developed a rating scale to better assess service users’ experiences tapering antidepressant and/or antipsychotic medication.

Antipsychotics Increase Risk of Dementia; New Research Illuminates Why

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In JAMA psychiatry, researchers outline new theories connecting antipsychotic use in people with schizophrenia and increased dementia risk.

Tapered Antipsychotic Withdrawal Mitigates Risk of Psychotic Symptoms

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Research suggests that slowly tapering off an antipsychotic reduces the risk of withdrawal psychosis compared to abrupt discontinuation.

Sudden Antipsychotic Withdrawal—Not Low Dose—Leads to Relapse

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A new article in Lancet Psychiatry debunks past studies claiming that those on low doses of antipsychotics are more likely to relapse.

Antipsychotic Adherence Research Overlooks Key Information

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Researchers argue for a shift away from a focus on antipsychotic adherence toward understanding service users’ diverse patterns of use.
Question mark inside a maze in the shape of human head.

New Study: The Clinical High Risk for Psychosis (CHR-P) Model Is Flawed

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The CHR-P model focuses on “attenuated psychosis” to predict “transition” to schizophrenia and ignores other factors. But new research shows that the model is a poor predictor.
Doctor and patient

Barriers to Shared Decision Making in the Prescription of Antipsychotics

Researchers push for a renewed focus on true shared decision-making for patients diagnosed with psychosis.

Anticholinergic Medications Linked to Cognitive Impairment in Schizophrenia

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Researchers have found further evidence that the anticholinergic effect of psychiatric drugs can lead to cognitive impairments.

Keys to Successful Discontinuation of Antipsychotic Medication

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Qualitative study finds that both internal resources and systemic factors play a role in antipsychotic discontinuation outcomes.

The BBC, Harrow, and a Public Left in the Dark

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The recent report by the BBC on medication-free treatment in Norway, when viewed in conjunction with the media silence on Martin Harrow's latest publication, reveals why the public remains misinformed about the long-term effects of antipsychotics.

Recovery Rate Six Times Higher For Those Who Stop Antipsychotics Within Two Years

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People with "serious mental illness" who stop taking antipsychotics are more likely to recover, even when accounting for baseline severity.

A Short History of Tardive Dyskinesia: 65 Years of Drug-Induced Brain Damage That Rolls...

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Psychiatry has long turned a blind eye to the full scope of harm associated with TD. New TD drugs "work" by further impairing brain function.

The Latest “Breakthrough Therapy”: Expensive New Drugs for Tardive Dyskinesia

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The increased prescribing of antipsychotics, which frequently cause a brain injury that manifests as tardive dyskinesia, has provided pharmaceutical companies with a lucrative new market opportunity.

Anticholinergic Drugs Increase Risk of Cognitive Decline

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A new study finds that anticholinergic drugs, like antidepressants and antipsychotics, are associated with mild cognitive decline.
antipsychotic drugs

Antipsychotic Augmentation Increases Risk of Death

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A new study finds that adding an antipsychotic to existing antidepressant treatment is associated with a 45% increased risk of early death.

Greater Exposure to Antipsychotics Associated with Worse Long-Term Outcomes

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A new study finds adverse long-term consequences associated with the increased use of antipsychotics in first-episode psychosis.

Very Slow Taper Best for Antipsychotic Discontinuation

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An article in JAMA Psychiatry advises very slow tapering for best results when discontinuing antipsychotic drugs.