Parkinson's Disease Community

hello, W --

the manufacturer of neupro/rotigotine skin patches (see PS) withdrew them from the united states market in april, 2008, apparently because of problems with crystallization of the med under certain storage conditions. this patch is still available in europe and possibly canada (the materials i read were unclear about canada), and some of the Q&A forums on parkinson's indicate that they can be imported from pharmacies in those countries. i don't know if this would be illegal under FDA rules or not.

on an FDA website, http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/DrugShortages/ucm050792.htm , an update of may, 2010, states that patients can obtain info about the manufacturer's progress in reformulating neupro by calling the manufacturer's medical information office at 866/822-0068, option 9. a Q&A forum dated april, 2011, on the parkinson research foundation website, http://www.parkinsonresearchfoundation.org/ask/default.aspx?year=2011&month=3 , states that neupro will be available "at the end of this year." however, a press release from the national parkinson foundation, http://www.parkinson.org/About-Us/Press-Room/Press-Releases/2010/April/A-Message-from-NPF-on-Neupro-Reformulation , indicates that the patch may not be available until sometime in 2012. a press release from the manufacturer dated july, 2011, http://www.evaluatepharma.com/Universal/View.aspx?type=Story&id=251284 , also indicates 2012 as the date of re-release in the united states.

a list of the clinical trials of neupro (both the original formulation and the new formulation) can be found at http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=neupro ; many of them have results. two are still recruiting volunteers, http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=neupro&recr=Open&no_unk=Y , which presumably would give you access to this med.

i am sure that dr. stacy will have more up-to-date info than i do, but i wanted to tell you what i had found in some admittedly quickie research tonight. i hope this helps.

-- susie margaret

PS -- for other readers, the neupro/rotigotine skin patch is used to treat parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome.

Thanks Susie margaret
I hope it is at the beginning of 2012 not the end. I wonder if they are working on putting the rest of the parkinson drugs in patch form. Just think no more schedules just put the patch on at the same time every day. I work nights so this would aliviate(sp) changing my medication routine from nights to days and days to nights.

w