Pharmacoeconomic studies of atypical antipsychotic drugs for the treatment of schizophrenia.

The pharmacoeconomic evaluation of atypical antipsychotics for patients with schizophrenia requires focus on both clinical and quality of life effects and impact on the cost of medical resources. The results of pharmacoeconomic studies help clinicians and health care decision makers identify treatments that provide the most benefit to patients at the most acceptable cost. The cost-effectiveness of antipsychotic drugs has been evaluated using noncontrolled, mirrorimage (i.e. retrospective/prospective) cohort study designs; clinical decision analysis models; and randomized clinical trials. The current pharmacoeconomic evidence suggests that clozapine is a cost-effective therapy for neuroleptic-refractory schizophrenia and that although olanzapine and risperidone therapy may be cost neutral, they improve outcome in patients treated for schizophrenia.