@article{ref1,
title="Modelling the impact of clozapine on suicide in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia in the UK",
journal="British journal of psychiatry",
year="2003",
author="Duggan, Andy and Warner, Juliet and Knapp, Martin and Kerwin, Robert",
volume="182",
number="",
pages="505-508",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is a major cause of suicide, and symptoms characteristic of treatment-resistant disease are strong risk factors. Clozapine reduces symptoms in 60% of such patients and significantly decreases the risk of suicide. AIMS: To model the impact of increased clozapine prescribing on lives saved and resource utilisation. METHOD: A model was built to compare current levels of clozapine prescribing with a scenario in which all suitable patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia received clozapine. RESULTS: It was estimated that an average of 53 lives could be saved in the UK each year. If clozapine is cost-neutral, the cost per life-year saved is pound 5108. If clozapine achieves a 10% reduction in annual support costs, the net saving is pound 8.7 million per annum. An average of 167 acute beds would be freed each year. CONCLUSIONS: The use of clozapine in treatment-resistant schizophrenia saves lives, frees resources and is cost-effective.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0007-1250",
doi="10.1192/bjp.182.6.505",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.182.6.505"
}