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Number of New Zealanders using anti-psychotic drugs for other conditions has surged

August 17, 2018

There has been a 50 per cent surge within the past decade, but Professor Roger Mulder says studies need to be done to ensure safety and efficacy.

An Otago University researcher says more studies are needed after it was revealed prescriptions for anti-psychotic drugs have increased by half in less than a decade.

Professor Roger Mulder, speaking this morning on TVNZ 1's Breakfast, said the study of New Zealand prescription data was reliable.

"We can be very confident that this is a real thing and not just a sample problem - this is pretty much a census of New Zealand prescribing," Mr Mulder said.

The issue is not unique to New Zealand, he said, and it stems from what he calls "off-label prescribing".

"So these drugs were developed to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder but they are now being used for things like anxiety for sleep problems and for other reasons and we suspect that's the reason we see this increase," he said.

A new report reveals prescription rates for anti-psychotics have almost doubled in a decade.

"We don't think it's because a lot more people in New Zealand are psychotic.

"European women over 65 are the biggest users and we don't think that's because they're all psychotic.

"There's some evidence that it's using very low doses to help people sleep - particularly the drug quetiapine is used at low doses for anxiety and sleep."

Mr Mulder said there are mixed feelings about this, with some saying if the drugs work, prescribe them, and others saying more studies need to be done.

"I guess the concern is that we don't really have good evidence of the efficacy and safety of those indications because the studies have never been done," Mr Mulder said.

"Ideally what we'd like of course is a trial - a big trial.

"It's very hard to get funding for independent studies but that's obviously what should be done."

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