Parkinsons Drug Permax

Parkinsons Drug Permax®

The Parkinsons disease drug Permax (pergolide) has been recalled from the market by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after reports that the drug is linked to serious and potentially fatal heart valve damage in some users (1).

Permax, prior to its withdrawal, already carried a black box warning the strongest possible warning a drug can carry following reports in January 2007 that showed Permax use could lead to heart valve leaks. This condition causes a reverse flow of blood that can lead to breathing problems, fatigue, and heart palpitations. If this condition is not surgically fixed, it can lead to heart failure and sudden death (1).

The market withdrawal of Permax and its generic form pergolide was issued after a report in theNew England Journal of Medicineindicated high rates of heart valve leakageup to 20% in patients taking the drug (2).

Pergolide is marketed by Valeant Pharmaceuticals International under the tradename Permax and is sold and manufactured as the generic drug pergolide by Par and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries.

Permax has been shown to cause similar problems to the diet drug combination fen-phen, which was recalled in the late 90s because it caused serious health problems in many people taking the drugs (1). Additionally, Permax is not any more effective than other, safer drugs in the treatment of Parkinsons disease (1).

About Parkinsons Disease
Parkinsons disease is a motor system disorder, meaning it produces or alters movement in the body. Parkinsons disease has four major symptoms:

1. Tremor or trembling in the hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face
2. Stiffness of the limbs and body
3. Slowness of movement (bradykinesia)
4. Impaired balance and coordination

Parkinson's disease is both chronic (lasts a long period of time) and persistent (gets progressively worse). As muscle control deteriorates, patients may lose the ability to walk, talk, and complete other basic tasks.

The FDA advises patients currently taking Permax or its generic form pergolide to speak with their doctors and either switch to another drug or to gradually reduce the amount of pergolide used (2).

Free Consultation
If you or someone you care about has taken Permax or pergolide and suffered from heart valve damage, our law firm wants to help you get the money you deserve. We have attorneys standing by to speak with you, so please call us immediately for a free and confidential evaluation of your case. We want to help.

Permax is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company and is used here only to identify the product in question.

Sources:

1. FDA pulls Parkinson's drug from the US market, by Susan Heavey. Published on 3/30/07 viaReuters. Accessed 3/30/07.
2. Parkinson's drug pulled after reports of heart damage, fromThe Associated Press. Published on 3/29/07 via http://web.archive.org/web/20070708095739/http://www.usatoday.com/. Accessed 3/30/07.

This law firm is not associated with, sponsored by, or affiliated with the Food and Drug Administration, theNew England Journal of Medicine, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Par, Inc., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.,Reuters,The Associated Press, or USA Today.

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If you or a loved one have been injured, contact Friedman Law Offices, Nebraska defective products lawyers. Our office is located in Lincoln, but we successfully advocated for clients throughout the state of Nebraska. You can contact us online or at 800.876.1093 for an immediate evaluation of your case. There is no cost for an initial consultation.