End of ropinerole

[Tscrutton]

Just thought I would mention this see a copy of the article below

On Dec. 19 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the forthcoming discontinuation of all dosage strengths of ropinirole hydrochloride (Requip) tablets as well as the 2-mg extended release (Requip XL) tablets. The anticipated final date of availability to patients will be between January and May 2019, depending on the tablet strength. The discontinuation announcement does not apply to the 4-mg, 6-mg, 8-mg and 12-mg tablets of Requip XL.

Ropinirole is a dopamine agonist that is indicated for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and restless legs syndrome (RLS). AASM practice parameters for the treatment of RLS and periodic limb movement disorder in adults include the standard recommendation that clinicians should treat patients with RLS with ropinirole, with the benefits of treatment clearly outweighing the harms. Another standard recommendation supports the use of pramipexole to treat RLS.

[Madlegs1]

Oh dear!

How regressive can Admin oversight get?

Take away the lower denominations of a medication ( essential for rls treatment).

Do they issue a warning for rls treatment with Dopamine agonists? That would be a minimum requirement, I would have thought.

Thanks for the heads up!😎

[LotteM]

Weird. Any rationale given?

[Hidden]

Is this not the same as was posted on here a little while ago,? That Gaxo who make Requip will be discontinuing Requip and the said dose. But other drug companies will still be making Ropinerole. ?

[ironbrain in reply to Hidden]

Yes, I'm wondering this:

goo.gl/Tfbq1y

The pharmacy I go to had to source my ropinirole from other than their usual supplier. Now have 84 tablet bottle rather than blister packs. (The ease of spilling a rather expensive drug is a little worrying I find, and it's not so easy to see how many one has left.) There's "Mylan, Potters Bar" on the print on the bottle, which looks to me to be a generic medicine supplier:

mylan.co.uk

[Joolsg in reply to ironbrain]

That’s Potter’s Bar in Hertfordshire in England. I presume UK will still be making lower doses.

Weird that the US has stopped making lower doses especially as 1mg is the new recommended dose.

Seems like a backward step.

[ironbrain in reply to Joolsg]

Isn't GlaxoSmithKline a British company? And will U.S. citizens not be able to get generic supplies from the companies here:

drugs.com/availability/gene...

[Hidden in reply to ironbrain]

Read my comment below. There are many drug companies BOTH sides of the pond who make Ropinerole but NOT Requip.

[Hidden]

This is what it is about it is ONLY Glaxco who make Requip who will be discontinuing some doses of REQUIP. OTHER drug makers will still be making Ropinerole, so no one should not be able to get there Ropinerole, BOTH sides of the pond. empr.com/home/news/parkinso... IF your take REQUIP as opposed to ROPINEROLE, you should be discussing with your doctor about changing to ROPINEROLE.

[ironbrain in reply to Hidden]

I don't see the concern. The drug must now be beyond its patent and maybe GlaxoSmithKline cannot compete with generic manufacturers or has more profitable products for its production lines. It doesn't make much difference if I talk to my doctor about Valium rather than diazepam, or Mogadon rather than nitrazepam, or Tryptizol rather than amitriptyline. I don't know about the pharmacist – maybe s/he needs to see the generic name on the presciption nowadays.

[Hidden in reply to ironbrain]

Exactly, its a business thing for Glaxo, now that Ropinerole is made by various drug companies.

[LanaCSR in reply to Hidden]

Oh noooo!!! I live in the US and I've been taking ROPINIROLE HCL 2 MG since I was first diagnosed with RLS back in 2012. Does this mean I won't be able to get it anymore? It is the only thing that works through the night for me. And the doctors over here don't want to prescribe opioids. So if you take away the Requip and don't prescribe opiods, what are we left with??? I am freaking out right now!!! Please someone give me some hope!

[Hidden in reply to LanaCSR]

Right, the drug company that makes Requip, is stopping making some dosages of REQUIP, Other drug companies just make Ropinerole, so Ropinerole will still be made by other drug companies. so you will still get your Ropinerole.

[LanaCSR in reply to Hidden]

Oh, thank you, Elisse!! You always know what to say and you are always one of the first to reply to questions in here!

[Hidden in reply to LanaCSR]

You are welcome. Altho i am not on here as much as i used to be, plenty of other knowledgeable members are.