Study Sheds New Light on Severe Mental Illness!

Survey results released today shed light on a new barrier to treatment affecting people with severe mental illness. The findings show fears raised by product liability litigation involving antipsychotic drugs may be putting a significant number of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder at risk for relapse. These fears add to the already heavy burden that patients face as they work to manage symptoms, stay on their medication and work with their treatment providers to improve their mental and physical health. The survey, which was conducted among 402 psychiatrists who treat patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, showed that, even when patients were responding well to their prescribed antipsychotic treatment, many stopped taking their medication, often without telling their psychiatrist, because of mentions of these drugs in law firm advertisements. Commissioned by the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare and Eli Lilly and Company, this survey has implications for doctors who treat serious and persistent mental illnesses, and confirms trends in clinical practice that many people in the mental health community have observed, but have not been quantified until now. More than half (55%) of surveyed psychiatrists indicated that they had changed their prescribing practices over the last five years due to product liability cases involving antipsychotic medications and reported frustration and concern that this type of litigation sometimes interferes with patient treatment. In this segment, Mrs. Rosenberg will discuss the survey results and the affect that antipsychotic drug litigation has had on the mental health community, as well as other challenges that patients face in staying adherent to their treatment. She can also answer any questions you or your listeners may have pertaining to the survey. For more information, please visit http://www.nccbh.org More about Linda Rosenberg: Linda Rosenberg, MSW, is the President and CEO of the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare. The National Council is an association of 1,300 community organizations that treat and help adults and children with mental illnesses or addictions. Prior to joining the National Council in August 2004, Mrs. Rosenberg served for seven years as Senior Deputy Commissioner for the New York State Office of Mental Health. She led the implementation of evidence-based practices for adults and children, tripling New York s assertive community treatment capacity, initiating a major expansion of childrens systems of care services and developing an extensive array of housing options for people with serious mental illness. Mrs. Rosenberg also implemented a network of jail diversion treatment programs and was instrumental in the opening of New York s first mental health court. Working with Schools of Social Work throughout New York State , she promoted and supported curriculum reform, introducing evidence-based practice courses and recipient and family education programs. A certified social worker, as well as a trained family therapist and psychiatric rehabilitation practitioner, she has extensive experience in the design, implementation and management of hospital and community psychiatric treatment and rehabilitation programs. Mrs. Rosenberg has held faculty appointments at a number of Schools of Social Work and serves on numerous agency and editorial boards.