NATION : U.S. Approves Schizophrenia Drug
- Share via
WASHINGTON — The federal government approved a drug today to treat schizophrenia patients not helped by other medications, deciding that its benefits outweigh toxic side effects.
The Food and Drug Administration emphasized that clozapine is not a cure for schizophrenia, the mental disorder in which a person loses touch with reality.
Clozapine was first evaluated in the early 1960s, but its development was largely abandoned in the United States when it was shown to pose a high risk of seizures and a serious blood disorder called agranulocytosis. Such problems still exist with clozapine; test data submitted to the FDA show that about 1% of patients develop agranulocytosis.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
