A new study published in the October 19, 2005, edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association found that Zyprexa, Risperdal, Seroquel and Abilify, drugs used to treat schizophrenia, may raise the death rates in elderly patients treated with the drugs for dementia. These drugs are produced by some of the biggest drug companies in the world, including Eli Lilly and Company (Zyprexa), Janssen Pharmaceutical (Risperdal), AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals (Seroquel), and Bristol-Myers Squibb and Otsuka America Pharmaceuticals (Abilify).

An analysis of 15 separate drug studies and more than 5,000 patients found that 3.5% of those getting these drugs for eight to twelve weeks died, compared with 2.3% of patients on placebos. The findings come on the heels of risks first disclosed by the FDA in April concerning these drugs.

Lead researcher Lon Schneider, professor of psychiatry at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, said that doctors may want to take elderly patients off of these drugs more quickly if they fail to immediately benefit from these drugs, given these findings.

Source: Michelle Fay Cortez, “Lilly, J&J, AstraZeneca Dementia Drugs Boost Deaths in Study,” Bloomberg.com, October 18, 2005.