DRUGS OVERLOAD

AN Irish Examiner investigation into prescribing patterns of tranquilising and stimulant drugs shows that pharmaceuticals to help anxiety and depression are being dished out in alarming numbers.

An analysis of the top 100 drugs reveals that, in 2009, the latest year for which data is available, more than €60 million was spent on anti-depressants, while a further €53m was spent on benzodiazepines (tranquilliser drugs), anti-psychotics and sleeping tablets.

The sector watchdog, the Mental Health Commission, says it is worried about the widespread use of benzodiazepine medication among the long-stay and elderly population in mental health services, and about the emphasis on a pharmacological approach in services in general. While just the top 100 drugs are published, overall in the medical card and drug payment scheme, prescriptions for medications which have an effect on mood — either stimulating or tranquillising — were written at a rate of almost 20,000 scripts a day in 2009. The drugs, classified as psycholeptics and psychoanaleptics cost €148m and account for 10% of all pills prescribed through the schemes. Other uses which were excluded for this article, include Alzheimer’s, dementia and narcolepsy.