Prescription patterns of first‐ and second‐generation antipsychotic drugs in the French population

This study assessed in depth the use of first antipsychotic (FGAP/SGAP) drugs in France. A 1/97th random sample of beneficiaries affiliated to the French Health Insurance system - Echantillon Generaliste des Beneficiaires (EGB) - was used: a) 621,662 persons in 2015 among which 11,319 had an antipsychotic (AP) prescription; b) a sample of first AP prescriptions concerning 5,935 patients in 2013 and 2014 (no AP in the last six months of 2012) for whom diagnostic was available in 40% of cases. In 2015, AP prevalence was 21.9/1000. SGAP/FGAP ratio was 1.02. Long-lasting prescriptions were rare: 1.79/1000 for FGAP and 1.38/1000 for SGAP. FGAP first prescriptions were higher than SGAP for each age class, except for <18 aged patients; 2.85% had both generations; 50.7% of the patients had another psychotropic. GPs prescribed more FGAPs than SGAPs, psychiatrists prescribed more SGAPs and hospital-based practitioners prescribed both generations equally, and these patterns changed across age ranges: for the elderly, GPs are the more frequent prescribers. SGAP/FGAP ratio is different by diagnostic categories. In France, FGAPs are largely prescribed by GPs mainly for the elderly but young and adult patients are concerned as well. Inappropriate antipsychotic consumption through off-label use, which adds to the co-prescription, especially in vulnerable population groups, mainly concerns FGAP prescriptions by GPs who do not have psychiatric training and limited contact with psychiatrists. Attention should then be brought to the regulatory advisory agencies in order to better inform and train the prescribers.