title: Psychopharmacological prescriptions for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD): a multinational study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies on psychotropic drugs prescribing in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were from the USA or the UK. However, these studies may not be generalizable to other countries. There is a need to understand the extent of psychopharmacological prescribing for ASD treatment at a multinational level to identify areas of prescribing which lack evidence.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the IMS Prescribing Insights database to investigate psychotropic drugs prescribing patterns for ASD treatment in children and adults in 2010-2012. Data were obtained from Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK), South America (Mexico and Brazil), North America (Canada and USA) and Asia (Japan).
  
  
  RESULTS
  North American countries have the highest prescription rates, followed by the European and South American countries. Prescribing rates were higher in children compared to adults in individual countries. The most commonly prescribed drug for ASD was risperidone in young people (except in UK and Japan). In the UK, methylphenidate (34 %) was the most commonly prescribed for young people and haloperidol (44.1 %) in Japan. In adults, the most commonly prescribed drug class was antipsychotics and particularly risperidone (thioridazine and ziprasidone were the most prescribed antipsychotics in Brazil and USA, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is variation in medication prescription for people with ASD among countries, which may be attributable to diagnostic criteria, clinical guidelines or health care systems. However, there is a lack of evidence of efficacy and safety for many psychotropic drugs prescribed for people with ASD. Research is needed to bridge the evidence gaps in prescribing.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
authors.forename: Yingfen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hsia
authors.forename: Angel Y S
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Declan G M
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Simonoff
authors.forename: Jan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Buitelaar
authors.forename: Ian C K
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D062313:Databases, Pharmaceutical; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D007564:Japan; D009656:North America; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D011600:Psychopharmacology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013020:South America
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs