2023-09-18 14:52:00
“This is a major public health problem! ” Federal Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) did not beat around the bush this Monday during the presentation of the new awareness campaign on the consumption of psychotropic drugs. The figures are indeed impressive: one in four Belgians, or nearly three million patients, consumed at least one psychotropic drug (benzodiazepine, sleeping pill, antidepressant, antipsychotic, psychostimulant, etc.) in 2022, according to the FPS Public Health. An “alarming” increase for the socialist minister, who advocates more adequate use of these treatments.
In five years, the number of psychotropic drugs dispensed in Belgium has increased by almost 70%. In 2022, 812 million of these drugs will be dispensed in the country, including 370 million antidepressants, 55 million antipsychotics and 17 million psychostimulants. Nearly a million Belgians have already taken a sleeping pill last year. While these medications may prove necessary in certain cases, their use without adequate support can lead to risks of addiction and dependence, recalls Minister Frank Vandenbroucke.
Alternatives to medications
In this context, the FPS Public Health is launching an awareness campaign aimed at health professionals. The objective is to first lead the patient towards non-drug treatments, to remind people of the need to evaluate adequate treatment in the event of recourse to psychotropic drugs and to develop a treatment plan shared between the different health professionals, while reminding patients of the side effects and dangers of these medications. “All medications are dangerous and some can also be useful,” recalled Dr. Thierry Christiaens, general practitioner and president of the Belgian Psychotropics Expert Platform.
Over the last twenty years, five campaigns have already been carried out on the same theme. Without success. The authorities want to believe that this will be the right one, in particular because, for the first time, it involves clinical psychologists in the process. With the aim of raising awareness among all health stakeholders and greater transparency in patient care.
Smaller packages
A website usagepsychotropes.be was launched with specific pages dedicated to each actor concerned to better help patients avoid falling into the use of these medications. “Not starting to take psychotropic medication remains the priority,” underlines Thierry Christiaens.
The Director General of DG Health Care Sabine Stordeur adds that more restrictive measures might be taken in the future such as reducing the volumes of medicines available or even purchasing products individually. The Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP) specifies on this subject: “There are already a certain number of benzodiazepines and related drugs on our market in small packages (less than 30 tablets), but the supply is very limited. . The FAMHP continues to encourage the expansion of this offer to minimize the risk of dependence and abuse. Although the marketing of packaging formats remains a decision of pharmaceutical companies, the FAMHP is trying to convince the pharmaceutical industry of the usefulness of also marketing smaller packaging. ”
Minister Vandenbroucke, for his part, says he wants to develop the same approach with psychotropic drugs as with antibiotics, where restrictive measures will be taken to combat overconsumption. “We’re working on it,” he concludes cautiously.
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