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Clozapine rationing in a state mental hospital: Reviewing a HEC's case consultation

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Abstract

Clozapine (Clozaril) is a new, powerful, costly anti-psychotic medicine, with a possible serious side effect (agranulocytosis) that entails weekly blood monitoring. In a three hundred bed state mental hospital that is allotted thirty clozapine slots (high costs effectively rationing this drug), a woman with schizophrenia responds minimally to this medication. Her attending physician wishes to withdraw the medicine and give it to another patient with schizophrenia on the ward who might have a better response. The woman's family threatens to make a public outcry. Both the attending physician and the family ask the HEC for a consult.

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Authors
  1. Patricia Backlar
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  2. Bentson H. McFarland M.D., Ph.D.
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Backlar, P., McFarland, B.H. Clozapine rationing in a state mental hospital: Reviewing a HEC's case consultation. HEC Forum 5, 302–318 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01560484

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