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Jorge and Charles and Jim, I have not read the primary article but if the NEJM holds here to their usual high standards of review it is more than market research that is operative here. While I would not put it beyond the ethics of a drug company to slant data I highly doubt that they put one over on the NEJM editorial staff. but it is possible. I would like to review the article if someone has it in an easily transmissible form. The citation is as follows: A five-year study of the incidence of dyskinesia in patients with early Parkinson's disease who were treated with ropinirole or levodopa O Rascol, DJ Brooks, AD Korczyn, PP De Deyn, CE Clarke, AE Lang, for the 056 Study Group NEJM 2000;342:1484-91 Early use of ropinirole alone or in combination with levodopa reduces the incidence of dyskinesia in patients with Parkinson's disease, according to this double-blind study. The data in this study were originally presented at the XIIIth International Congress on Parkinson's Disease, July 24-28, 1999, Vancouver, Canada, as reported by E-MOVE in http://www.wemove.org/ema/em_pd_01.html. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jorge A Romero, MD" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2000 8:20 AM Subject: Re: questions for Charles Murray > To Charles Murray and Benjamin Winter: > > To the statement that "Research suggested starting with Sinemet was unwise > if an > agonist would work," I would only comment that > > it is important to ask what kind of research. > > If you are talking about MARKET research, then it is certainly unwise to > start with levodopa if you own stock in any one of the companies that make > the agonists. > > Remember that the data used to promote the agonists is being pitted against > 30 years of good experience with levodopa. There is not a single drug used > to treat Parkinson's that has the safety and efficacy record that levodopa > has when used correctly. > > Jorge Romero, MD > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Benjamin Winter" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Friday, June 02, 2000 10:26 PM > Subject: questions for Charles Murray > > > > Charles, > > > > You wrote: > > "Research suggested starting with Sinemet was unwise if an > > agonist would work ... and studies seem to be showing that > > this is a wise way to start treatment in mild cases." > > > > I would appreciate some leads to the research, some > > references to the studies, that you are referring to. > > > > Thanks in advance. > > > > Ben Winter 66/66/64 > > Not on any meds yet - the great weather in Victoria BC is > > enough to keep me going (for now). > >