RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Deprescribing Antipsychotics: a Multiple Case Study

This study, called 'Deprescribing Antipsychotics: a Multiple Case Study', explores how people with a psychotic disorder can safely reduce or stop their antipsychotic medication. Often, doctors worry about a person becoming unwell again if they stop their medication, but patients sometimes want to reduce their dose because of side effects. This can make it hard to decide the best way forward. This study aims to look at individual people's experiences to learn more about the challenges and successes of lowering or stopping antipsychotics in real life. It will help doctors and patients understand better when, how, and for whom it might be possible to reduce medication, and what to do if problems arise.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

University Hospital, Strasbourg, France

Enrolment target

Start

09 Sep 2025

Estimated completion

09 Sep 2026

Psychotic Disorder

What is this study about?

This study is looking at an important topic: how people with psychotic disorders can reduce or stop their antipsychotic medication. For many people, these medications are very helpful, but they can also come with difficult side effects. Because of these side effects, many patients might want to lower their dose or stop taking the medication altogether.

However, doctors often worry that if someone stops their medication, their symptoms might return. This makes it tricky to decide the best way to handle medication changes. There isn't a clear set of rules for when, how much, or how quickly someone should reduce their dose, or what to do if they start feeling unwell again.

By looking closely at the experiences of several individual patients, this study aims to create a clearer picture. It will share real-life stories of people who have tried to reduce their medication. The goal is to help doctors and patients understand the good parts and the difficult parts of this process, so they can make better decisions together about long-term treatment.

Key takeaways

This study explores reducing or stopping antipsychotic medication.
It aims to learn from real patient experiences.
The goal is to find better strategies for deprescribing.
It focuses on people with psychotic disorders who are stable on long-term treatment.
Understanding individual successes and difficulties is key.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for adults aged 18 or older who have a psychotic disorder. You should be taking antipsychotic medication long-term and generally feel stable and well with your current treatment.

Crucially, you must be interested in reducing or stopping your antipsychotic medication, or be open to trying to do so. If you do not wish to take part or have said no to participating, then this study would not be for you.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Do you have a psychotic disorder?
Are you currently taking antipsychotic medication long-term?
Do you feel generally stable on your current medication?
Are you interested in or open to the idea of reducing or stopping your antipsychotic medication?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

The information provided does not detail the specific steps involved for participants beyond meeting the eligibility criteria and potentially having their individual case studied. Given it's described as a 'Multiple Case Study', it likely involves collecting detailed information from your medical records and possibly through discussions with your doctors or yourself about your experience with reducing medication. It's not specified if this would involve extra doctor visits, new assessments, or changes to medication that aren't already part of your treatment plan. The duration of involvement for each case is also not detailed.

Potential risks and benefits

A potential benefit of taking part could be contributing to important knowledge about how to safely reduce antipsychotic medication, which might help many others in the future. For individuals, if successful, deprescribing could lead to fewer medication side effects and improved quality of life. However, there are potential risks, primarily the possibility of your psychiatric symptoms returning or worsening if medication is reduced too quickly or is not suitable for you. You would have the right to withdraw from the study at any time without affecting your medical care.

Locations (1)

Service de Psychiatrie 1 - CHU de Strasbourg - France
Verified postcode
Strasbourg, France· Recruiting

Common questions

What is a psychotic disorder?

A psychotic disorder is a mental health condition that affects how your brain processes information, sometimes causing you to lose touch with reality. Examples include schizophrenia.

What does 'deprescribing' mean?

Deprescribing simply means carefully reducing or stopping a medication, usually under the guidance of a doctor, with the aim of improving health or reducing side effects.

Why is this study important?

This study is important because there are no clear guidelines on how to best reduce antipsychotic medication. It aims to learn from real-life experiences to help doctors and patients make better decisions.

Will I have to stop my medication if I join?

Not necessarily. The study looks at reduction or stopping. Any changes to your medication would be a decision made with your doctor, not forced by the study.

What if my symptoms come back during the study?

Managing your health is always the main priority. If your symptoms returned, your medical team would manage this as part of your standard care, adjusting treatment as needed.

How to find out more

Fabrice BERNA, MD, PhD

fabrice.berna@chru-strasbourg.fr 33 3 88 11 64 62 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.