Posted by Chairman_MAO on February 7, 2007, at 11:18:32
In reply to Re: J+J and Janssen in trouble over Risperdal, posted by linkadge on February 6, 2007, at 14:32:30
No one drug should be "brought down", because I believe we should have a free-market economy. It's just that the so-called "antipsychotics" should have to compete with morphine, benzodiazepines, etc. which can be just as effective in the treatment of psychosis, if not more so. And the "patient" can still think!
However, I will agree with you that risperidone is the most horrid of all of the "atypicals". Gynecomastia and other endocrine problems are far too common, viz. they happen at all! The only reason the atypicals are "safer" with regard to tardive dyskinesia AFAIK is that they bind more weakly to and/or dissocate more rapidly from D2 receptors. That's it. There's nothing magical, except perhaps with cloazpine, which is IMHO the only one of the whole class of those drugs anyone should try, as if you have to get to the aypticals, you might as well use the best one.
But far fewer people should be prescribed these things than are. Seroquel seems to be the most benign, but also mostly ineffective for treatment of schizophrenia (which, incedentally, is an obsolete and stigmatizing diagnostic category that should be abandoned).Of course, we live in an age where, despite the fact that acetaminophen/paracetamol is now known to cause liver damage at _therapeutic doses_ in _otherwise healthy individuals_, it is still considered preferable to morphine, which is non-toxic.
poster:Chairman_MAO
thread:730044
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070207/msgs/730757.html