Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41964759›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of clinical pharmacology2026

Clozapine prescribing in treatment-resistant schizophrenia - an updated systematic literature review of barriers and facilitators among clinicians.

Siobhán Nolan, Laura J Sahm, Ita Fitzgerald

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of clinical pharmacology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Siobhán NolanPharmaceutical Care Research Group, School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Laura J SahmPharmaceutical Care Research Group, School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Ita FitzgeraldPharmaceutical Care Research Group, School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. ita.fitzgerald@ucc.ie.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIncreased rates of clozapine prescribing are essential to improving timely patient access within treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) management. The extent of geographical variation in its use suggests it is possible to develop interventions to increase clinician engagement. To inform intervention development, a contemporary review of barriers and facilitators to increased clozapine prescribing is required. We aimed to conduct a systematic review of research addressing barriers and facilitators to clozapine prescribing among clinicians within TRS management.

methodsThe review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched from inception to July 2025. Results were synthesized qualitatively.

resultsFifteen studies were included. Barriers related to clinicians, patients and carers, and healthcare institutions. Primary clinician-related barriers included insufficient knowledge of, and confidence in, managing clozapine treatment and the associated administrative burden. Primary patient-related barriers included concerns regarding patients' willingness to consistently adhere to clozapine treatment and associated monitoring requirements. A lack of dedicated systems of care to facilitate clozapine initiation and shared community care were the leading institutional barriers. Major facilitators included improved education for clinicians, access to point-of-care testing, and increased availability of dedicated clozapine clinics.

conclusionMost barriers to systematically increasing clozapine prescribing rates are beyond the influence of individual prescribers. Instead, structural interventions focusing on (i) reducing the administrative burden associated with establishing clozapine treatment, (ii) increasing access to standardised training and supervision opportunities, and (iii) providing longitudinal support to clinicians when managing clozapine treatment, are required.

Indexed as

Antipsychotic AgentsClozapinePractice Patterns, Physicians'SchizophreniaSchizophrenia, Treatment-ResistantHumansAntipsychotic AgentsClozapineBarriersClozapineFacilitatorsPrescribingSchizophreniaSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID41964759
PMCPMC13070066

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.