In a sponsored MedPage Today article, psychiatrist Bryce Reynolds argues that long-acting injectables (LAIs) for schizophrenia remain underused despite being established options. He says the main barrier is not evidence but timing: many patients first hear about LAIs only after repeated relapses or hospitalizations, when the conversation could have happened much earlier.
Reynolds points to adherence problems with daily oral antipsychotics, citing a statistic that about 67% of patients become nonadherent or discontinue within the first year. LAIs shift treatment to scheduled clinical visits, making missed doses visible to the care team. He also challenges clinician assumptions that patients will reject injections, noting a study in which 76% of patients accepted a LAI after three or fewer supportive discussions.
The author recommends practical steps: ask patients how symptoms affect them emotionally, identify their personal goals, and offer LAIs while preserving choice, including setting a timeframe to revisit the option. The article is sponsored by Teva and promotes LongActingImpact.com, an educational resource for healthcare professionals, so its claims should be read as a commercial perspective rather than independent research.