Pharmacopsychiatry 2019; 52(04): 175-179
DOI: 10.1055/a-0626-7135
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Discrepancies Between Nomenclature and Indications of Psychotropics

Fusaka Minami
1   Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
,
Joseph Zohar
2   Department of Psychiatry, Sheba Medical Center, and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Hashomer, Israel
,
Takefumi Suzuki
3   Department of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Ethics, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
,
Teruki Koizumi
1   Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
,
Masaru Mimura
1   Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
,
Gohei Yagi
1   Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
,
Hiroyuki Uchida
1   Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
4   Geriatric Psychiatry Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 24 February 2018
revised 20 April 2018

accepted 26 April 2018

Publication Date:
23 May 2018 (online)

Abstract

Introduction While the current nomenclature of psychotropic drugs is disease-based, their approved indications do not always match their classifications.

Methods Information on approved indications of “second-generation antipsychotics” and “newer antidepressants” that are available in the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), France, Germany, and Japan were extracted from their packet inserts.

Results A significant proportion of “atypical antipsychotics” were approved for psychiatric conditions other than psychotic disorders (i. e., bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and autistic disorder) as follows: 76.9% in the US, 66.7% in the UK, 66.7% in France, 60.0% in Germany, and 44.4% in Japan. Likewise, more than half of “newer antidepressants” had approved indications for psychiatric conditions other than depression (e. g., panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, general anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder): 56.3% in the US, 69.2% in the UK, 69.2% in France, 50.0% in Germany, and 62.5% in Japan.

Conclusions Our results raise concerns regarding generic terminologies of “antipsychotics” and “antidepressants” since the conventional indication-based nomenclature does not fit well with the official indication.

 
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