Title Maximizing sales of atypical antipsychotic drugs.

BACKGROUND

A pharmaceutical firm that has an antidepressant is a happy one for 1/5 of the population is likely to consume it. A pharmaceutical firm that has an antipsychotic is less happy since the prevalence of schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders is stable, and averages around only 1-2%. However, between 1997 and 2007, the daily consumption of neuroleptic drugs has increased by 14% in Belgium! Whatcommunication strategies have been implemented to promote their sales?

METHOD: Four messages have been identified and examined: 1) These disorders are serious and require the systematic prescription of neuroleptics; 2) These are chronic disorders for which we must consider lifelong treatment, preferably as "deposit"; 3) schizophrenia, in particular, has a peak prevalence at 18: Young people should be monitored; 4) There are means of early detection of at-risk youth that must be addressed at this stage with neuroleptics.

RESULTS

1) YES these disorders are serious and require the prescription of neuroleptics, HOWEVER 2) At least 40% of patients do NOT display a chronic evolution and the "deposit" forms should be reserved for certain situations; 3) YES, schizophrenia has a peak prevalence at 18, and young people must be monitored, However 4) Our ability to achieve pre-diagnosis is limited. If prescribing neuroleptic drugs to all at-risk youth might prevent the onset of the disorders, it would also result in prescribing them to some persons who do not need them two out of five times.

CONCLUSIONS

From these four arguments, only one is valid whereas the remaining three are only partially valid; nevertheless, since the advent of second generation antipsychotic drugs, their consumption has increased by 14% in 10 years.