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