Reply #11: Janssen Pharmaceuticals is probably behind this. They want domperidone to replace Reglan in the US. [View All]

[McCamy Taylor]

But the FDA keeps rejecting its requests for a U.S. patent. Note that while domperidone has its share of problems, it does not cross the blood brain barrier so people with Parkinsons can use it. However, domperidone is also used to promote lactation, a market that could be much greater than its GI market---and in this off label use it can cause heart problems and seizures in infants. The FDA is probably afraid that if it is sold in the U.S. women will start using it to make more milk.

If Janssen could get Reglan taken off the market, then the FDA would probably have to approve its patent. And people who take low cost Reglan would be forced to pay high prices for a different drug.

Any time you see a story about a 30 or 40 year old drug that someone wants to ban, it is often because some drug company does not like the cheap competitiom.


See my old journal about this trick here:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/3/2/14243/36440