Declines and pronounced state-level variation in clozapine use among Medicare patients | AI News Digest
A recent study highlights a significant decline in clozapine use among Medicare patients, with a 18% decrease in prescriptions from 2015 to 2020. Despite clozapine's effectiveness in treating treatment-resistant schizophrenia and reducing suicide ideation, its utilization remains low, raising concerns about underuse. Geographic variation in clozapine prescriptions was pronounced, with states like Massachusetts and South Dakota prescribing more than the national average. The findings suggest a need for further investigation into the reasons behind this variation and the overall underutilization of clozapine. Potential solutions include enhanced education, training reforms, and improved monitoring devices. Addressing these issues could optimize clozapine use and improve patient outcomes.
