Study More and more psychotropic drugs for children

Study: Psychotropic drug prescriptions are increasing in children and adolescents

02/19/2014

Antipsychotic medication in children and adolescents is also steadily increasing in Germany. This was the result of a research team that evaluated current data.

The prescription of antipsychotic drugs in children and adolescents has increased significantly in recent years in the US and Europe. The side effects have not yet been sufficiently researched. Now a group of scientists has evaluated data for Germany. They conclude that the antipsychotic prescriptions in children and adolescents have also increased in Germany in recent years.

The researchers analyzed BARMER GEK data from the years 2005-2012. The antipsychotic prescriptions for children and adolescents (ages 0-19) analyzed the age, sex, prescribed substance, prescribing group and timing trends over this period.

The proportion of children or adolescents prescribed an antipsychotic increased from 0.23% (2005) to 0.32% (2012). The increase in prescriptions of antipsychotic drugs was particularly pronounced in the 10 to 14 age group (0.24% to 0.43%) and the 15 to 19 year olds (0.34% to 0.54%). Most of the regulations were made by child psychiatrists or paediatricians; the most commonly prescribed substances were risperidone and pipamperone. (Pm)

Picture credits: Gaby Kempf