ABSTRACT - Researchers suggest that new generation of antipsychotic drugs, called atypicals, may not be as effective as first thought when they were introduced 14 years ago, and may have dangerous side effects; studies find their superiority is at best modest, specific to certain symptoms and variable from drug to drug; there is increasing suspicion that they may cause serious side effects, notably diabetes, in some cases leading to death; issue of risks has become more pressing as drugs are prescribed for children and for adults with milder conditions; experts say drugs' benefits must be balanced by side effects and cost; more than 15 million prescriptions were written last year for Zyprexa and Risperdal, two leading drugs; when first introduced, they appeared so successful in treating psychotic illness that doctors began prescribing them for other conditions, including nonpsychotic depression, conduct disorder and severe aggression in children; detailed look at drugs' growth since 1990; photo; graphs; charts (L) They were billed as near wonder drugs, much safer and more effective in treating schizophrenia than anything that had come before.

PURCHASING FROM NYTIMES.COM IS QUICK AND SECURE.
To read the complete article, simply click on one of the BUY NOW buttons below. You can buy this single article or, for even greater value, you can purchase this article as part of a multi-pack. You'll then have the opportunity to buy additional articles now or in the future at significant savings!
Purchase Single Article -- $2.95
Purchase as part of Article 4-Pack -- $7.95 ($1.99/article - a 33% savings!) Pack expires after 1 month
Purchase as part of Article 10-Pack -- $15.95 ($1.60/ article - a 46% savings!) Pack expires after 3 months
Purchase as part of Article 25-Pack -- $25.95 ($1.05/ article - a 65% savings!) Pack expires after 6 months

How multi-packs work: A multi-pack is an archive package that saves you money by allowing you to pre-purchase a set number of articles in bulk at a reduced price. You can then debit from your multi-pack and quickly access articles from the archive at your convenience over the lifetime of the multi-pack.

Once you purchase an article, you may view it as often as you like over the next 90 days. Archive articles do not include photos, charts or graphics

Click here to purchase article if you already own an archive article pack.