Pipotiazine, also known by the brand name Piportil, is a antipsychotic medicine that is part of the Typical class.
It is a medicine that can be used in the treatment of some psychosis-related conditions and Schizophrenia, among others.
Fluphenazine was withdrawn from use in the United Kingdom in 2015. As a result, it is no longer prescribed to patients. So what happened to Pipotiazine?
About Fluphenazine
Pipotiazine is an antipsychotic medicine. It was first used in XXXX, and over the following decades, it was used in the treatment of many different mental health conditions.
Pipotiazine had a range of side effects. The most common side effects are weight gain, sedation and movement problems.
Why was Pipotiazine discontinued in the United Kingdom?
In October 2014, it was announced that Pipotiazine was being discontinued in the United Kingdom. In an initial communication, doctors were told that it wouldn’t be available beyond March 2015.
This was because of a global shortage of the active pharmaceutical ingredient Pipotiazine. This necessitated a discontinuation of the medicine.
GP’s were asked to refer patients using Pipotiazine to their local Community Mental Health Team for support. A medicine review was arranged for those using the medicine.
Anyone that had been prescribed Pipotiazine were gradually moved over to alternative medicines, or for those without symptoms, they stopped use.
These other medicines were typically antipsychotics. Most patients switched to similar medicines like Flupentixol, Zuclopenthixol, or Haloperidol, although each patient had different requirements.
Research shows that many people struggled to switch from Pipotiazine to another antipsychotic. This is a problematic situation [1].
Summary
Pipotiazine was withdrawn in 2015. It helped many people to see an improvement in their mental health, so its discontinuation was disappointing for many.
Taking antipsychotics can be very effective, but it is important to exert caution when doing so. You can read more about antipsychotics at our dedicated page here.
See Also
- Antipsychotics Homepage
- Everything You Should Know About Typical Antipsychotics
- Everything You Should Know About Atypical Antipsychotics
- FAQ’s About Mental Health Medicines
- Medicines Homepage
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Helplines
If you are struggling with your mental health, help is available. With the right support and treatment, you can make a recovery. For information on helplines, or if you are in a state of crisis, please visit our crisis page by clicking on the relevant link for your geographical location (United Kingdom), (United States), (International). You can also see how to get mental health treatment and the process involved by clicking this link.
References
[1] Sheldon, R. J. G., Pereira, M., Aldersley, G., Sales, T., Hewitt, J., Lyon, R., & Whale, R. (2022). Clinical outcomes following switching antipsychotic treatment due to market withdrawal: a retrospective naturalistic cohort study of pipotiazine palmitate injection (Piportil Depot) discontinuation, subsequent acute care use and effectiveness of medication to which patients switched. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology. 12: 20451253211067042. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177%2F20451253211067042.
