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What is Neurontin?
What are the approved uses for Neurontin?
What are "off label" uses?
Is it illegal for a doctor to prescribe
Neurontin for an
'off label' use?
Is there a generic form of Neurontin?
Should I stop taking Neurontin?
What is Neurontin?
Neurontin (pronounced NUHR-on-tin) is a prescription
anticonvulsant medication used as a supplementary
treatment for partial seizures, most commonly epileptic
seizures.
What are the approved uses for
Neurontin?
Gabapentin (Neurontin) was approved by the Food and Drug
Administration, in 1993, as a supplementary treatment
for seizures. It is also used to treat the burning nerve
pain that sometimes persists for months or even years
after an attack of shingles (herpes zoster) in adults.
Typically, Neurontin is used to supplement additional
anti-convulsant medications for the treatment of
epilepsy.
What are "off label" uses?
Pfizer Inc., has pleaded guilty to illegally
promoting and marketing Neurontin to the medical
community.
Pfizer Inc.
is being sued by a number of litigants who claim the
drug maker illegally promoted the medication for at
least 11 unapproved medical conditions, and used their
own employees and paid physicians to promote the drug
for these “off-label” conditions. The 11 illegally
promoted, unapproved uses for gabapentin as outlined in
court documents are:
-
Bipolar
disorder
-
Pain
syndromes, peripheral neuropathy, diabetic neuropathy
-
Treatment
of epilepsy alone
-
Reflex
sympathetic dystrophy
-
Reflex
sympathetic dystrophy (RSD)
-
Attention
deficit disorder (ADD)
-
Restless
leg syndrome (RLS)
-
Trigeminal
neuralgia
-
Post-hepatic neuralgia (PHN)
-
Essential
tremor periodic limb movement
-
Migraines
-
Drug and
alcohol withdrawal seizures
It is reported that almost 90% of all Neurontin use is
for the treatment of 'off label' illnesses. During a
five year period the use of Neurontin grew ten fold -
resulting in multi-billion dollar profits for Pfizer.
This dramatic increase is linked to an aggressive, and
illegal, marketing campaign that included consulting
fees, paid vacations, and other incentives for doctors.
Serious and sometimes life threatening side effects have
been observed when Neurontin is used for 'off label'
illnesses. More about
Neurontin Side Effects >
Is it illegal for a doctor to
prescribe Neurontin for an 'off label' use?
It is not illegal for a doctor to prescribe
Neurontin for an 'off label' use. It is illegal for drug
manufacturers to promote and market a pharmaceutical
drug for uses not approved by the FDA.
Is there a generic form of Neurontin?
The generic name of Neurontin is gabapentin, and the
drug is chemically unrelated to any other anticonvulsant
or mood-regulating medication, and there is no generic
form of gabapentin as the manufacturer, Pfizer Inc., has
patent protection for Neurontin.
Pfizer Inc. is currently in litigation with several drug
manufacturers over the patent rights to Neurontin,
stalling the manufacture of generic forms.
Should I stop taking Neurontin?
You should not abruptly stop taking Neurontin.
Serious side effects and withdrawal symptoms have been
associated with the discontinuation of Neurontin.
Neurontin should be tapered off under strict medical
supervision. Talk with your physician about the uses,
dangers, and appropriate discontinuation of Neurontin.
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