To collect the opinions of a sample of Spanish psychiatrists and their patients about the acceptability, preference and adherence to treatment of mirtazapine orally disintegrating tablets in relation to mirtazapine conventional tablets.

It was carried out an on-line survey recruiting a total of 422 psychiatrists who responded to a questionnaire of 14 closed questions. Fieldwork for this project was conducted out between January and March 2009.

The 422 psychiatrists who responded to the present survey had an average age of 45. 54% of them were men and 46% were women. The scope of activity of the participants (multiple choice possible) was: 27.5% hospital, 68% mental health center, 27% private practice and 6% other kind of activity. The 42.5% of visited patients suffered major depression and concomitant chronic organic disease.

When prescribing an antidepressant, psychiatrists of the sample did not usually take account the patient preferences: 26% did not and 33% asked the patient “in less than 50% of the time.”

The doctors emphasized that mirtazapine orally disintegrating tablets was more convenience for the patient (94%), support for better compliance (91%), had a pleasant taste (87%) and had patient preference (86%) among the main issues that took into account when they opting for that drug formulation.

The change from mirtazapine conventional tablets to mirtazapine orally disintegrating tablets did not caused any problem for 70% of doctors.

Differences in galenic presentations of the same drug should lead significant perceived differences in clinical practice, by doctors and their patients