Schizophrenia patients do as well, or perhaps even better, on older psychiatric drugs compared with newer and far costlier medications, according to a study published yesterday that overturns conventional wisdom about antipsychotic drugs, which cost the United States $10 billion a year.

The results are causing consternation. The researchers who conducted the trial were so certain they would find exactly the opposite that they went back to make sure the research data had not been recorded backward. The study, funded by the British government, is the first to compare treatment results from a broad range of older antipsychotic drugs against results from newer ones.

Yesterday, in an editorial accompanying the British study, the lead researcher in the U.S. trial asked how an entire medical field could have been misled into thinking that the expensive drugs, such as Zyprexa, Risperdal and Seroquel, were much better.

Experts commented that the problem with many drug company studies that seemed to show that new drugs are better is that they focused on short-term results - a symptom or side effect - rather than the big picture: how patients fare long-term.

Source: Psych Central

Shock! What a surprise! (heavy on the sarcasm!)

drug companies are too powerful & have too much money to lose if their new drugs aren't marketed well & prescibed by doctors - their 'research' & 'findings' from their own trials are rarely (not ever?) completely unbiased - and often underplay important side-effects that could be very damaging and the 'free' holidays/entertainment they give doctors to publicise their products is no less than bribery!!! boo-hiss to them.

I have even seen a (surprising) resurgence in the increased use of "old standbys" like Valium for certain disorders. The great lesson is that newer really isn't better. If your doc begins urging you to try a new drug and your current drug is working well.. remember that you have every right as a consumer to speak up and say "no thanks!"
Really interesting piece Anthony :thumbs-up