IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR SINEMET USERS

[ParkinsonsNZ1]

Internationally there have been some changes to the formulation of Sinemet. The result is that the tablets are no longer scored and cannot be halved as there is no guarantee that halving a tablet will give an accurate half dosage. The stock of Sinemet that is scored and can be halved is likely to be exhausted over the next couple of weeks.

If you use half doses of Sinemet you may need to visit your Doctor to be reassessed. There is an alternative medication available called Sindopa. This is fully funded and can be used as a half dose.

If you have any concerns, please see your Doctor.

[cafelatte]

So is the medicine not evenly distributed in the pill... if we use a pill cutter we are not getting a half dose?

[ParkinsonsNZ1 Parkinson's New Zealand in reply to cafelatte]

From what I understand it is not that the medicine is unevenly distributed but that the efficacy etc of the split tablets has not been tested and so you cannot guarantee getting a standardised dose each time.

[Tainui-Tony in reply to ParkinsonsNZ1]

I have been cutting the tablet ever since the change and not noticed any negative effect.