Abstract
Whether or not olanzapine causes bone marrow toxicity is still a matter of debate.
In spite of pre-marketing and post-marketing clinical trials, and although there have
been no cases in animals of olanzapine-induced neutropenia or agranulocytosis, the
risk of bone marrow toxicity cannot be excluded. The present paper addresses the following
questions: what is the potential background of drug-induced agranulocytosis? Are there
any case reports supporting the view that olanzapine has relevant bone marrow toxicity?
What strategies might be helpful in identifying the pathological mechanisms underlying
this side effect?
