Depot perphenazine is in clinical use in the Nordic countries, Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands. At a conservative estimate, a quarter of a million people suffer from schizophrenia in those countries and could be treated with depot perphenazine. The total number of participants in the four trials with useful data is 313. None of the studies observed the effects of oral versus depot antipsychotic drugs. Until well conducted and reported randomised trials are undertaken clinicians will be in doubt as to the effects of perphenazine depots and people with schizophrenia should exercise their own judgement or ask to be randomised.
[Double-blind comparison of 2 depot neuroleptics (perphenazine enanthate and flupentixol decanoate) in chronic schizophrenia (author's transl)].