Effectiveness of Safety Warnings in Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs

Studies conducted to obtain drug authorization are often of short duration and based on small sample sizes in selected populations. Policies on drug safety rely on the validity of the methods used to achieve rapid and effective communication of new information. No formal evaluation has ever been made of the Spanish communications system, although indirect data have raised questions about its effectiveness.To evaluate the impact of two safety warnings issued by the Spanish Drug Agency, and of a later prior authorization requirement involving the use of atypical antipsychotic drugs in the elderly.The study was based on a time-series analysis constructed with data corresponding to monthly invo…