The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has accepted prolonged-release paliperidone palmitate (Xeplion®) for use within NHS Scotland for the maintenance treatment of schizophrenia in adults stabilised with paliperidone or risperidone. In selected adult patients with schizophrenia and previous responsiveness to oral paliperidone or risperidone, it may be used without prior stabilisation with oral treatment if psychotic symptoms are mild to moderate and a long-acting injectable treatment is needed.

The Drug Advice notes that prolonged-release paliperidone was non-inferior to another atypical antipsychotic depot injection (risperidone) in terms of control of schizophrenia symptoms over a 3-month period and was more effective than placebo in preventing relapse of schizophrenia.  Please see the link below for further information.