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All I can say is I think PD meds leave much to be desired. At least these PWP felt well enough to go gambling. What they needed was some luck like my sister-in-law's daughter has. It is absolutely phenomenal. ----- Original Message ----- From: "M.Schild" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2005 11:49 PM Subject: Studies and Lawsuits Point Accusing Fingers at the Parkinson’s Drug, MIRAPEX, that Has Been Linked to Compulsive Gambling > Studies and Lawsuits Point Accusing Fingers at the Parkinson’s Drug, > MIRAPEX, > that Has Been Linked to Compulsive Gambling > Date Published: December 29, 2005 > Source: Newsinferno News Staff > It is admittedly an odd connection but there seems to be no real doubt > that > MIRAPEX, a drug used to treat Parkinson’s disease (PD), is also > responsible > for turning some of the patients who used it into gambling addicts. > In July, a Mayo Clinic study published in the Archives of Neurology that > identified 11 Parkinson’s patients who developed a gambling habit while > taking MIRAPEX or similar drugs between 2002 and 2004. Since the study was > released, 14 additional Mayo patients have been diagnosed with the problem > according to lead author Dr. M Leann Dodd, a psychiatrist at the Clinic. > Previously, in August 2003 in the journal Neurology, Drs. E. > Driver-Dunckley, > J. Samanta, and M. Stacey published an article entitled “Pathological > gambling associated with dopamine agonist therapy in Parkinson’s disease.” > That study found extreme cases of compulsive gambling in nine (of 1,884) > patients using pramipexole (8 or 1.5%)) and pergolide (1 or 0.3%). Both > results were well above the overall incidence rate of all PD patients of > 0.05%. Both drugs that showed an increased risk were dopamine agonists > (DA). > The Mayo Clinic study also analyzed the findings in five prior studies > (including the 2003 Driver-Dunckley study) and confirmed that: “All of the > commonly prescribed dopamine agonists have been associated with > pathological > gambling” with pramipexole being “disproportionately represented in both > our > series (82% of our patients) and in prior reports (59%).” > MIRAPEX (pramipexole dihydrochloride) is in the dopamine agonist class of > drugs and is believed to work by mimicking the action of dopamine in the > brain to help control the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Dopamine also > affects brain processes that control emotional responses and a person's > ability to experience pleasure and pain. It is thought to play a role in > addictive behavior. > Unfortunately, this is another drug whose benefits come with a very high > price > tag for some patients. The ones who become addicted to gambling often wind > up > losing their life savings, fall deeply into debt, and even jeopardize or > destroy their marriages or other personal or family relationships. > In the past, the victims of this harsh side-effect had no idea what had > come > over them. Their brain was literally taken over and their gambling became > constant and compulsive. Simply stated, they were out of control and had > no > idea why. For these people, the situation was frightening and > inexplicable. > As a result of this completely bizarre and damaging side-effect, many > MIRAPEX > users suffered long periods of debilitating and destructive behavior > during > which they were unaware that the drug was causing the problem and that it > would cease if they discontinued taking it. > MIRAPEX is manufactured by German-based Boehringer Ingelheim > Pharmaceuticals, > the world's biggest family-owned drug company, in cooperation with New > York-based Pfizer, the world's largest drugmaker. Its sales for 2004 > topped > $200 million in the U.S. alone. > .Boehringer Ingelheim lists "compulsive behaviors (including sexual and > pathological gambling)" as a possible side effect associated with taking > MIRAPEX. That seven-word phrase on page 17 of a 21-page highly technical > document is all the warning that is given concerning the potentially > detrimental side-effect. > While Boehringer-Ingelheim has repeatedly claimed there is no scientific > evidence upon which to base the conclusion that MIRAPEX causes addictive > or > compulsive behavior, the multiple reputable studies on the subject would > seem > to indicate otherwise. In addition, the company revised its package insert > to > include the warning with respect to “compulsive behavior” despite its > denial > of the connection > Currently, two major lawsuits against Boehringer Ingelheim and Pfizer have > been commenced in federal court in California and in Superior Court in > Ontario, Canada. They allege a number of addictive behaviors associated > with > MIRAPEX including gambling, shopping, having sex, eating, and engaging in > other compulsive conduct. > It is likely that additional lawsuits will be commenced in the near future > since the problem is as widespread as the locations of people who took > MIRAPEX. > Jerrold Parker, managing partner of Parker & Waichman, a law firm with > considerable experience in pharmaceutical and medical malpractice > litigation > nationwide, told us that: “It is difficult to imagine how the > manufacturers > of MIRAPEX can maintain there is no scientific evidence to support the > addiction link when several studies leave little doubt of the connection. > In > addition, it is rather amazing that when the manufacturers finally decided > to > add a warning regarding compulsive conduct to the product insert they > chose > to hide it in the middle of 21 pages of technical data.” > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn