Treatment of schizophrenia in low-income countries.

The introduction of the novel antipsychotics has had a major impact upon the treatment of schizophrenia. However, the greater acquisition costs of these drugs puts them beyond the reach of large sectors of the world's population. Consequently, the gap between the levels of care in high-income and low-income countries is likely to widen even further. Co-ordinated global action is necessary to ensure greater accessibility of these drugs. Cost-effectiveness studies in low-income countries need to be undertaken. The considerable evidence for improved safety and efficacy of low-dose compared to high-dose classical antipsychotics offers an alternative that could be implemented immediately in low-income countries.