Thirty psychotic patients who refused antipsychotic medication were compared with 30 patients matched for age, sex, treatment ward, commitment status, and diagnosis who consented to drug treatment. Refusers were no more assaultive or combative than consenters; they were less often diagnosed as having schizophrenia and more often diagnosed as having bipolar or schizoaffective illness. A comparison between 17 of the least symptomatic refusers and 17 of the most persistent refusers showed that persistent refusers were more likely to have a diagnosis of schizophrenia; least symptomatic refusers were more often diagnosed as having affective disorders or schizoaffective disorders.