Table 1.
Definition of dates for interrupted time series (ITS) analysis and before and after comparison of UK national interventions aiming to reduce the inappropriate prescribing of antipsychotic drugs to patients with dementia
| Dates | Intervention period | Time periods for ITS analysis: 1. before intervention 2. During intervention 3. After intervention |
Audit dates for before (1) and after comparison (2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2004 | MHRA Committee for the Safety of Medicines warning: risperidone and olanzapine should not be used to treat behavioural symptoms of dementia in older patients | 1. March 2003 to February 2004 2. March 2004 to June 2004 3. July 2004 to June 2005 |
1. 1 March, 2004 2. 1 September 2004 |
| November 2006 | NICE guidelines: antipsychotic drugs should only be used for severe cognitive symptoms for a limited time after other approaches have proved inadequate | 1. November 2005 to October 2006 2. November 2006 to February 2007 3. March 2007 to February 2008 |
1. 1 November, 2006 2. 1 May, 2007 |
| March 2009 | MHRA drug safety update: risperidone licenced for severe aggression in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and added to the MHRA’s Black Triangle list of medicines | 1. March 2008 to February 2009 2. March 2009 to February 2010 3. March 2010 to February 2011 |
1. 1 March, 2009 2. 1 May, 2010 |
| June 2009 | Report on yellow card results and reiteration of the risks of antipsychotic drug use | ||
| October 2009 | Expert review called for urgent action | ||
| November 2009 | UK government pledge to reduce the use of antipsychotic drugs for patients with dementia | ||
| March 2012 | Prime minister launches the National Dementia Challenge | 1. March 2011 to February 2012 2. March 2012 to August 2012 3. September 2012 to August 2013 |
1. 1 March, 2012 2. 1 November, 2012 |
MHRA Medicines Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, NICE National Institute for Health and Care Excellence