Second-Generation Antipsychotics Sales of antipsychotic medications earn more money than any other group of drugs—almost 15 billion dollars in 2010 (Wilson, 2010). Helping to fuel sales was the development of the new atypical antipsychotic medications, which are much more expensive than the older, traditional antipsychotic drugs. A second factor is the increased off-label use of antipsychotic medications for non-psychotic conditions, including the anxiety disorders and bipolar disorder—despite the fact that there is little evidence to support the use of these powerful drugs to treat the symptoms of these disorders (Alexander & others, 2010; Comer & others, 2011).

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