These newer medications, known as atypical antipsychotics, cost roughly 10 times as much as the older medications. CATIE is the largest, longest, and most comprehensive independent trial ever done to examine existing therapies for this disease. Schizophrenia is a brain disorder characterized by hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking. The course of schizophrenia is variable, but usually is recurrent and chronic, often causing severe disability. Previous studies have shown that taking antipsychotic medications consistently is far more effective than taking no medicine and that the drugs are necessary to manage the disease. The aim of the CATIE study was to determine which medications provide the best treatment for schizophrenia.