Posted on December 1st by 3news.co.nz:
An alternative antipsychotic drug which causes less weight gain than older treatments has been funded for those with schizophrenic disorders by New Zealand’s drug buying agency Pharmac.Patients would be able to get the drug, amisulpride (Solian) [molecular structure illustrated], from today, which has been funded without restrictions.
Pharmac’s medical director Peter Moodie said increasing the range of treatments [for schizophrenia] had benefits for a condition that was difficult to treat.
"Over recent years some of the older antipsychotic treatments have been discontinued and so increasing the choice of medicines is an advantage," he said.
He also confirmed amisulpride was less likely to cause weight gain than other antipsychotics.
The agreement also saw injection and suppository formulations of the antinausea treatment prochlorperazine (Stemetil) becoming fully funded.
Antipsychotic drugs cost Pharmac more than $60 million a year, one of the agency’s highest expenditure groups.
