Source: DGNews  |  Posted 9 years ago

First Prospective and Randomized Study to Demonstrate Efficacy on Suicidal Behavior

EAST HANOVER, NJ. - January 14, 2003 -- A landmark two-year study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry finds that a widely prescribed antipsychotic medication, Clozaril (clozapine) can reduce by up to 26 percent, the risk of recurrent suicidal behavior and suicide attempts among people suffering from schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Nearly 1,000 individuals participated in the International Suicide Prevention Trial (InterSePT), at more than 60 health centers in the Americas, Europe and the Middle East. The study is the first ever to prospectively demonstrate efficacy of a medication to affect suicidal behavior in any patient group.

In December 2002, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Clozaril for treatment of recurrent suicidal behavior in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who are at chronic risk. Clozaril