Not long ago a PD friend was asking about Neupro Patches. This comment came in yesterday and may be of interest to some. Please note that Parkinson’s Journey is not endorsing this method of acquiring prescriptions or that you should begin treatment using this drug without a doctor’s consent. We are merely passing the information along. However, if you do obtain the medication, please send us an update of your experience of the process. As Anne, our updater says… Good luck! -Sherri Woodbridge
You can also get Neupro from UK. The name of the pharmacy is Asset Chemist and contacts are Mr Yomi or Mr Leke. Your best bet is to call them direct 011-44-1375 846 316. You can also e-mail them Customer Services@assetchemist.co.uk. Remember the time – England is 5 hours ahead. They are open seven days a week. Allow delivery time from 7-14 days. Both gentlemen are wonderful to deal with and much cheaper than the meds from Isreal. Neupro is manufactured in Belgium (I think) and so all Neupro is the same. If you get it from them, be sure to ask them about the expiration date. Expiration date is not as long as when Neupro was available in US. And the meds will arrive with jell coolent. Ask them also to e-mail you the tracking number. We live in Ohio and the last meds went somewhere to TN — why? Who knows? Anyway they arrived and my husband is using them. Good luck! -Anne
What if a drug that was working wonders for you was no longer available where you live?
I was chatting with a Parkie friend the other day via Facebook, and found out after some of her symptoms becoming more prevalent her doctor tried her on a remaining few patches of Neupro. She had an outstanding response! And now she is out of patches. A few of her friends are looking for any available. If you are not aware, Neupro-a transdermal patch delivering rotigotine, an agonist to treat Parkinson’s and Restless Leg, was approved in the US in 2007 and then in April 2008 it was withdrawn from the market (worldwide) due to a problem with crystalization (and potential decrease in potency).
June 08 at http://parkinsons.hopedigest.com/blogs/ucb_suggest_cold_storage_for_neupro this information was released:
“UCB pharmaceutical announced today that the company will submit a variation to the EMEA (European Medicines Evaluation Agency) to implement a full cold-chain storage and distribution system for Neupro® (rotigotine transdermal patch) in Europe.
In agreement with the EMEA, over the next few months, UCB will be replacing current Neupro® supply with product that has been refrigerated from manufacture. Based on data generated to date, refrigerated storage of Neupro® patches substantially reduces the development of crystals, which can result from the current manufacturing process. Crystallisation in the patch can lead to a change in visual appearance and can theoretically reduce its clinical efficacy, but it is of no clinical relevance in most instances. To date, UCB has not seen a change in the pattern of clinically relevant adverse events, including lack of efficacy, which could be attributed to crystal formation. All Neupro® supply should be stored in a refrigerator. There is no need for patients to transport Neupro® patches in special containers and they must not be stored in a freezer compartment.”
So….that has been almost a year ago. My friend has found a few more patches before investigating possibilities of obtaining more of it from Europe. And just a few days ago her doctor indicated that Neupro would be available again soon in the US.
Makes one wonder if maybe there is a patch for the FDA to get things like this re-approved faster? Some of us move about as fast as the FDA (or not at all) without Neupro. I’m glad the solution seems to have been an easy fix and has not caused the demise of a valuable drug for some with Parkinson’s! And I hope my friend will not have to worry or go without this drug due to any further delays.
You might be interested in bookmarking this website for patient safety info from the FDA http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/psn/index.cfm
Judy Hensley
3/3/09
