Zyprexa, Other Anti-Psychotics, Found to Have No Net Benefit

According to a study released by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the benefits of some anti-psychotic drugs like Zyprexa do not outweigh the risks. Although prescribed almost routinely – about 75% of the 4.5 million Alzheimer’s sufferers in the U.S. take some form of anti-psychotic, according to at least one estimate – they are often not effective, and have serious side effects including sudden death.

The far-reaching study “Effectiveness of Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease,” which was conducted in 33 clinics and nine doctors’ offices, assessed the effectiveness of Zyprexa by Eli Lilly & Co., Seroquel by AstraZeneca, and Risperdal by Johnson & Johnson. The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in October 2006.

“These medications are not the answer,” said NIMH Director Dr. Thomas Insel.

But many doctors and families disagree, despite the fact that drugs like Zyprexa have never been approved for use in Alzheimer’s patients. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Zyprexa in 1996 for patients with schizophrenia and severe bi-polar disorders. However, once a drug has been approved for sale in the U.S., doctors can prescribe it for any condition they feel is appropriate.

The problem with this approach, and indeed an endemic problem with the whole drug approval system, is that not enough safety data is collected before a drug hits the market. There have been too many cases in the last several years: Zyprexa, Vioxx, Bextra, Celebrex, the transdermal birth control patch, ACE inhibitors – all have shown severe and life-threatening side effects that were not noted before the products hit the market. Some of these drugs like Vioxx and Bextra have been removed from shelves.

In the case of Zyprexa and similar drugs, the results have been devastating. About four out of every five patients tracked in the study stopped taking the medication due to troubling side effects such as confusion, weight gain, and Parkinson's-like symptoms. Five deaths were recorded, versus two in the group taking placebos. Thirty percent of patients showed any improvement while taking the drugs – not a huge gain when compared with those in the placebo group, of which 21% showed signs of improvement.

This study shows that Zyprexa clearly should not be generally prescribed to Alzheimer’s patients – and some medical experts wonder if it should be on the market at all. Dr. Lon Schneider, director of the Alzheimer's Disease Center of California and the lead researcher of the study suggested that if doctors do decide to treat patients with Alzheimer’s with these drugs, they should be closely monitored over the first few weeks and removed from the drug if there are signs of severe side effects or no improvement.

If your loved one has suffered further by taking Zyprexa, you may be able to seek compensation for mental anguish and added medical bills. Contact a Jim S. Adler & Associates personal injury lawyer to find out how. We have over 30 years of medical law experience, and we have fought corporations large and small on the behalf of our clients. Don’t sign any agreements until you talk with us first. Click on the link below or call us directly for a free case review regarding your loved one’s Zyprexa side effects.

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