What is an "atypical" drug? Another word might be "novel" or "newly designed" drug, but the term is applied primarily to a class of drug used to treat persons with mental problems that end up suffering from "novel" or unusual side effects.
For example, the drug giant Eli Lilly produces a drug called Zyprexa.
Even though dementia patients using Ziprexa and other drugs in this class are more likely to die, marketing and delivery of the medications continue apace. One in four nursing home residents takes Ziprexa or similar medications. Some estimates place the number of persons killed by atypicals at 15,000 nursing home residents a year.
Read more in the St. Petersburg Times article
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