title: Atypical antipsychotics and formulary decisions.
abstract: Although drug costs are a small fraction of the total direct costs of treating schizophrenia, managed care has focused on drug acquisition costs as an area of concern. There is pressure to demonstrate by outcome measures that the increased cost of the newer atypical antipsychotics versus traditional neuroleptics is justified. Decision makers want to be convinced that newer, more expensive treatment translates to value. Evidence accumulated to date suggests that the atypical agents are cost-effective. Studies show patients taking atypical antipsychotics have an improved quality of life, are more easily rehabilitated and reintegrated into the community, return to full- or part-time work more often, and prefer the newer agents to conventional antipsychotics. These benefits have been shown in studies of olanzapine versus haloperidol. Just as important, patients taking atypical antipsychotics show decreased medical care resource utilization, which results in cost savings.
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D016527:Drug Costs; D004526:Efficiency; D005569:Formularies as Topic; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000191:economics; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010890:Pirenzepine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011788:Quality of Life; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D010890:Pirenzepine; D006220:Haloperidol; D000077152:Olanzapine