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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 :-) >> ******************************************************************** >>