Parkinson’s patients are suffering “devastating consequences” as GPs switch to cheaper drugs with varying release rates in the body.
Parkinson’s UK has issued an alert after a 65-year-old man who had successfully controlled the disease for 17 years suddenly needed help with eating and dressing after his brand drug Sinemet was switched to a cheaper generic form of the drug.
Barry Smith of Birmingham developed slow speech and suffered from uncontrollable tremors when his usual drug Sinemet was changed last year without consultation. He described the consequences as “devastating”.
Dr Rowan Watts, Deputy Director of the Parkinson’s Network of Excellence in the UK, said: “Changing a brand or manufacturer can lead to a significant worsening of symptoms. It is important for prescribers to list the brand name of the Parkinson’s drug or generic manufacturer on prescriptions for people with Parkinson’s disease. ”
In November, the latest month for which data are available, about 115,000 prescriptions for Sinemet or the generic version of the drug were filled in England each month.
Dr. Watts added: “We don’t know how many people with Parkinson’s are aware of the potential impact of switching brands, and unfortunately they may just attribute it to a change in their symptoms rather than looking at their medications.”
Mr. Smith said: “My medical practice has changed my medicines and this has made me very ill. My symptoms got worse. I was no longer completely independent and had to cut food in front of me because I was throwing it all over the place and I needed help to get dressed.
“I also had a visible tremor that I didn’t have before. My speech was slow and my thinking slowed down. It’s a shock when you’ve lived with something for so long and successfully dealt with it.
“Unfortunately, I think this is the start of something new. Usually I don’t shake so much at this time in the morning. I’m usually pretty stable. When you’ve spent so many years trying to keep your life as good as possible and fighting the symptoms, you know it’s only going to get worse in the end, but when it’s an outside force, it’s incredibly frustrating. The consequences are devastating.”
Around 145,000 people in the UK are living with Parkinson’s disease and experts fear that thousands of people are already suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
Mr. Smith, a child protection officer and guest host on Radio Parkies, a channel dedicated to people with Parkinson’s disease, spoke on the show about his new symptoms and the effects of modified pills. He was surprised by the number of listeners, including his co-host, who said they experienced the same debilitating problems. The couple hosted a special edition of the show to give advice.
Sinemet, developed by Merck, is a combination drug containing levodopa and carbidopa. Together, these two components increase the level of dopamine in the brain, which is responsible for controlling movement.
While generic products go through the same rigorous testing as branded products, cleaning rates may vary for each individual. For people with Parkinson’s disease, medication is timed and the schedule is carefully coordinated by medical teams.
The experts stated that any change in the product could affect the way the drug is absorbed and it is important that general practitioners use the same product when it comes to Parkinson’s drugs such as Sinemet or generic, and all changes are subject to change. only by experts. The Parkinson’s team consults with a person with Parkinson’s disease.
Stephanie Bancroft, local pharmacist and chairman of the Parkinson’s Pharmacy Network, said both generic and brand-name drugs contain the same active ingredients and have the same properties. However, they are not made in the same way.
She said: “Sinemet is a branded drug, the first to be produced and licensed as a brand and put on the market many years before generics. The rate of release of active ingredients can be affected by excipients that generic drug manufacturers use to make tablets or capsules. This can affect the release of active ingredients and is different for each person and each product.
“We know that the shortage of Sinemet about three years ago was a problem for everyone, and that sometimes it was necessary to switch from a brand-name drug to a generic drug in order to avoid a shortage of medicines for a patient, but pharmacists need to be aware of the possible consequences. may be harmful to patients.
“Once a specialist has stabilized a patient’s condition with Sinemet, their physician should not change it to a generic version without discussing the change with the specialist and patient. It’s best to always stick to the same product to avoid fluctuations in effectiveness. This can be done by always asking about Sinemet or by asking each time if the generic is made by the same manufacturer.
Pharmacies cannot change products that have been prescribed by a doctor or other prescribing doctor, except in special circumstances approved by the National Health Service of England, such as: B. in the event of a shortage of medicines. Therefore, when a drug with a name such as Sinemet is prescribed, the pharmacy must provide it. However, if a generic is prescribed, the pharmacy may offer any available option.
Ms Bancroft said: “Cost savings are one possible reason why drugs can be substituted from non-branded to generic ones. There is NHS policy to do this where possible, but with Parkinson’s drugs the cost savings are not as clear as with some other drugs.
“Making this trade-off, where generics and brands are the same and work the same way, is not necessarily a problem, but we know this is not the case for Parkinson’s drugs. It is also possible that GPs and pharmacists are making the switch without knowing the implications of switching to PD medications for people stabilized on the brand-name drug.”
Mr. Smith was given the drug again for several months, but his tremor could not be controlled. He is now receiving a new drug to try to solve the problems caused by the exchange. However, his condition has worsened and he believes recovery is unlikely.
Mr Smith said: “We know this is a degenerative disease and it will get worse, but things like breaking a medication regimen that has worked for years and kept me stable have caused havoc. This change was like a blow to the head.”
Ms Bancroft said that anyone affected should contact their consultant and ask them to write to their GP to request a specific drug, saying that you are stabilized on Sinemet or generic and that you always have prescriptions for that particular product.
“Then it should be on your GP record,” she said. “Or ask your doctor directly to always prescribe the right medication for you.”
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.