Sandoz' Clozaril
Executive Summary
Pennsylvania mental health groups sue the state's Department of Public Welfare in an Oct. 4 civil action to allow access to Clozaril by all schizophrenic patients under Medicaid. Currently, Pennsylvania uses a lottery system for Clozaril treatment that selects from those who have failed at least two to three other therapies. On Sept. 10, a Kansas federal court judge ruled that the Kansas Medicaid agency must provide prescription coverage for a schizophrenic patient who had failed other therapies. The Kansas court also ordered the inclusion of Clozaril on the formulary list of drugs covered by the Kansas Medicaid program.