The role of long-acting injection in schizophrenia treatment and future challenges

Long-acting injection is a controlled release agent, which was designed that stable blood concentration is provided by giving it once in two to four weeks. Schizophrenia treatment is essential to long-term medication. So, LAI is one of the useful therapeutic strategies. Although traditional LAI had the strong negative impression to be forcibly used for the patients with the refusing medication and the lack of insight into disease, LAI of second-generation antipsychotics are expected to maintenance therapy for the outpatients with Schizophrenia. While psychiatric medical care is shifting from hospitalization to outpatient department, and a role of LAI is important in social rehabilitation. Here, we outline to the clinical importance, characteristic, and future challenge of LAI in psychiatric treatment.