Registry targets off-label prescribing of antipsychotics
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NC Medicaid, Community Care of NC and child psychiatrists at the state’s four medical schools have partnered on a registry to gather information about off-label prescribing of antipsychotic medications to children.
Antipsychotics—Keeping it Documented for Safety (A+KIDS) aims to ensure that children who are prescribed antipsychotics for off-label indications are monitored according to generally accepted guidelines. The first phase of the program applies to Medicaid eligible children up to 12 years old. The second phase will expand the registry to include Medicaid enrollees aged 13-17.
As of mid-April, NC Medicaid requires prescribers to register patients when:
Upon issuing a new prescription, prescribers go online and enter basic information about the patient, medication, dose, diagnosis, etc. It is necessary to preregister for access.
Antipsychotics—Keeping it Documented for Safety (A+KIDS) aims to ensure that children who are prescribed antipsychotics for off-label indications are monitored according to generally accepted guidelines. The first phase of the program applies to Medicaid eligible children up to 12 years old. The second phase will expand the registry to include Medicaid enrollees aged 13-17.
As of mid-April, NC Medicaid requires prescribers to register patients when:
- The antipsychotic is prescribed for an indication that is not approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration
- The antipsychotic is prescribed at a higher dosage than approved for a specific indication
- The prescribed antipsychotic will result in concomitant use of two or more antipsychotic agents
Upon issuing a new prescription, prescribers go online and enter basic information about the patient, medication, dose, diagnosis, etc. It is necessary to preregister for access.
Comments on this article:
This registry targets ALL prescriptions of anti-psychotics. Even when the products used are age appropriate and approved and appropriate for the diagnosis. I see this as more hassle than help as even sub-specialists have one more thing to do in an already busy day. This is especially worrisome in an environment where psychiatric care is already hard to obtain for medicaid patients.
Don Winters, MD
By Don Winters on Jul 22, 2011 at 7:06pm
Developmental/Behavioral Pediatrics
