What are patients’ experiences & impact of discontinuing clozapine
Research type
Research Study
Full title
What are patients' experiences of discontinuing clozapine and how does this impact their views on subsequent treatment?
IRAS ID
225753
Contact name
Ian Maidment
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Aston University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 30 days
Research summary
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness with symptoms affecting thinking, (sometimes called delusions) and the senses (seeing things or hearing voices, known as hallucinations). Clozapine, considered the gold standard treatment for schizophrenia, has many different side-effects, which may lead the treatment being stopped. Clozapine may also be stopped because it isn’t working or due to the patient’s beliefs about the illness. Discontinuing any treatment is likely to have an impact on how the person feels about both that medication and any future treatments.
This study will examine patient's feelings about the discontinuation of clozapine and any subsequent antipsychotic treatment through interviews. Patients at Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, who have stopped treatment with clozapine after taking it for at least two weeks will be invited by their lead clinician or care coordinator to participate in the study.
Interviews will be carried out in the hospital clinics. Data will be analysed to identify key themes.
REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NW/0413
Date of REC Opinion
20 Jun 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion