PMID- 23047844
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20140109
LR  - 20220409
IS  - 1464-3790 (Electronic)
IS  - 0967-0742 (Linking)
VI  - 21
IP  - 2
DP  - 2013 Mar
TI  - 'He was like a zombie': off-label prescription of antipsychotic drugs in 
      dementia.
PG  - 243-77
LID - 10.1093/medlaw/fws029 [doi]
AB  - This paper explores the legal position of the off-label prescription of 
      antipsychotic medications to people with dementia who experience behavioural and 
      psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Dementia is a challenging illness, and 
      BPSD can be very difficult for carers to manage, with evidence that this 
      contributes to carer strain and can result in the early institutionalisation of 
      people with dementia. As a result, the prescription of antipsychotic and other 
      neuroleptic medications to treat BPSD has become commonplace, in spite of these 
      drugs being untested and unlicensed for use to treat older people with dementia. 
      In recent years, it has become apparent through clinical trials that 
      antipsychotic drugs increase the risk of cerebrovascular accident (stroke) and 
      death in people with dementia. In addition, these types of medication also have 
      other risk factors for people with dementia, including over-sedation and 
      worsening of cognitive function. Drawing on recent questionnaire (n = 185), focus 
      group (n = 15), and interview (n = 11) data with carers of people with dementia, 
      this paper explores the law relating to off-label prescription, and the 
      applicability of medical negligence law to cases where adverse events follow the 
      use of antipsychotic medication. It is argued that the practice of off-label 
      prescribing requires regulatory intervention in order to protect vulnerable 
      patients.
FAU - Harding, Rosie
AU  - Harding R
AD  - 1 University of Birmingham.
FAU - Peel, Elizabeth
AU  - Peel E
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Legal Case
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
DEP - 20121009
PL  - England
TA  - Med Law Rev
JT  - Medical law review
JID - 9308945
RN  - 0 (Antipsychotic Agents)
SB  - IM
MH  - Adult
MH  - Aged
MH  - Aged, 80 and over
MH  - Antipsychotic Agents/administration & dosage/*adverse effects
MH  - Behavior Control/methods
MH  - Caregivers/psychology
MH  - Dementia/*drug therapy/psychology
MH  - Duty to Warn/legislation & jurisprudence
MH  - Female
MH  - Focus Groups
MH  - Humans
MH  - Male
MH  - Malpractice/legislation & jurisprudence
MH  - Middle Aged
MH  - *Off-Label Use/legislation & jurisprudence
MH  - Surveys and Questionnaires
MH  - United Kingdom
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - Alzheimer's Disease
OT  - Antipsychotics
OT  - Dementia
OT  - Medical Negligence
OT  - Off-label
OT  - Tort
EDAT- 2012/10/11 06:00
MHDA- 2014/01/10 06:00
CRDT- 2012/10/11 06:00
PHST- 2012/10/11 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2012/10/11 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2014/01/10 06:00 [medline]
AID - fws029 [pii]
AID - 10.1093/medlaw/fws029 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Med Law Rev. 2013 Mar;21(2):243-77. doi: 10.1093/medlaw/fws029. Epub 2012 Oct 9.