Ivan, I would rather be advised of these side effects so I can make other
arrangements for driving etc. If I'm not aware of these things then I am
risking more than my life behind a wheel. I would rather have the truth any
day than not knowing.I can deal with the truth but not the UNKNOWN. Just my
thinking. Shirley
-----Original Message-----
From: Parkinson's Disease Foundation <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, February 15, 2000 9:27 AM
Subject: Re: NEWS-CDN doctors advised to alert patients of "sudden onset of
sleep" with ReQuip (ropinirole)


>In the United States, drug companies are allowed to make money - just like
>any other for-profit company.  It is from these profits that they support
>research into newer/better drugs.  Without these profits, the millions of
>dollars each drug company spends each year on SINGLE compounds would mean
>these newer drugs would never become available.  And why complain about
>drugs that "just" mask the symptoms?  These drugs are vastly important
until
>a cure can be found.  I remember more than 20 years ago, when I first
>startedin this field, how many patients in an audience would be so
>profoundly disabled by their symptoms.  Now, you rarely see patients in
>wheelchairs - except for those who have dealt with PD for 15-20-30 years!
>Medications that can mask symptoms are something patients of most other
>neurologic disorders pray for every day!  Yes, we have some problems with
>the medications - what drug that is strong enough to provide benefit does
>not also have the capacity to cause side effects?  But we also have doctors
>who are well-experienced in the uses of these drugs.
>
>Research must continue in both arenas - clinical to mask the symptoms, and
>basic to find the cause and therefore a cure for the disorder.
>
>Jeanne Lee-Rosner
>PDF-Chicago
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Ivan M Suzman <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000 8:01 AM
>Subject: Re: NEWS-CDN doctors advised to alert patients of "sudden onset of
>sleep" with ReQuip (ropinirole)
>
>
>> So Requip is a killer,
>>  Tasmar is banned in Canada
>> for somewhat tenuous reasons,
>> and Sinemet is a poison?
>>
>> Sounds like a REVOLUTION of
>> We the People
>> or We the parkies PWP's
>> is in order.
>>
>> The drug companies are
>> profit-crazy addicts themselves,
>>  and we the PWP People will
>> NOT get better-only get
>> MASKs for the symptoms
>>
>> Until We the PWP People
>> UNITE and fight
>> alongside our caregivers
>> for a worldwide medication distribution
>> system free of
>> pharmaceutical company cartels
>>
>> Ivan
>> :-)
>>
>> On Mon, 14 Feb 2000 23:49:18 -0500 Judith Richards <[log in to unmask]>
>> writes:
>> >Canadian doctors are advised to alert patients of "sudden onset of
>> >sleep" with the anti-Parkinson drug ReQuip (Ropinirole)
>> >
>> >OAKVILLE, ON, Feb. 11, 2000/CNW/ - Following consultation with Health
>> >Canada,
>> >pharmaceutical manufacturer SmithKline Beecham Pharma is advising
>> >health
>> >care professionals, patients and caregivers of important new safety
>> >information which indicates that ReQuip, a prescription medicine used
>> >in
>> >the
>> >treatment of the signs and symptoms of Parkinson's disease, may cause
>> >patients to suddenly fall asleep while performing various daily
>> >activities
>> >including driving a car.
>> >
>> >Sixty cases of sudden onset of sleep have been reported to date,
>> >world-wide.
>> >Of these, 10 cases originated in Canada. There have been two fatal
>> >car
>> >accidents reported in France. ReQuip has been available in Canada
>> >since
>> >August of 1997.
>> >
>> >Patients should be advised that sudden sleep has occurred without
>> >warning
>> >signs. If drowsiness or sudden sleep should occur, patients should
>> >immediately contact their physician. Patients are strongly advised
>> >not
>> >to
>> >change the dose or discontinue treatment with ReQuip without the
>> >recommendation of their doctor.
>> >
>> >Until further information is available on the management of this
>> >unpredictable and serious adverse event, patients who are taking
>> >ReQuip
>> >are
>> >warned not to drive or engage in other activities where impaired
>> >alertness
>> >could put themselves and others at risk of serious injury or death
>> >(e.g.,
>> >operating machines).
>> >
>> >Presently, the precise cause of this adverse event is unknown. What
>> >is
>> >known
>> >is that many patients with Parkinson's disease experience changes in
>> >their
>> >sleep patterns, which results in excessive daytime sleepiness or
>> >spontaneous
>> >dozing and that some anti-parkinson drugs can also induce sleepiness.
>> >There is insufficient information to determine whether this adverse
>> >event is
>> >associated specifically with ReQuip, some other anti-parkinson drugs,
>> >or
>> >Parkinson's disease itself. SmithKline Beecham is currently working
>> >with
>> >Health Canada to fully research the potential causes of the sudden
>> >onset
>> >of
>> >sleep.
>> >
>> >SmithKline Beecham Pharma is also issuing a letter, to prescribing
>> >physicians
>> >and pharmacists which reports this new safety information.
>> >
>> >ReQuip is a registered trademark of SmithKline Beecham Pharma
>> >
>> >CNW 11-FEB-00
>> >
>> >--
>> >Judith Richards, London, Ontario, Canada
>> >[log in to unmask]
>>
>> ^^^^^^  WARM GREETINGS  FROM  ^^^^^^^^^^^^  :-)
>>  Ivan Suzman        50/39/36       [log in to unmask]      :-)
>>  Portland, Maine    land of lighthouses           deg. F   :-)
>> ********************************************************************
>>