Reglan

If you are or have been a Reglan user you may be at risk of Tardive Dyskinesia, a disorder that causes involuntary and repetitive movements of the body.

The medicine, which is also known as Metoclopramide has been used for more than 30 years as a short-term treatment for various gastrointestinal disorders, such as acid reflux. In 2009, however, the Food and Drug Administration issued a black box warning _the strongest warning by the FDA_ advising that Reglan and its generic forms have been linked to a disorder known as Tardive Dyskinesia.

Tardive Dyskinesia is characterized by involuntary, repetitive movements of the extremities, tongue protrusion, rapid eye movements, puckering and pursing of the lips, or impaired movement of the fingers. These symptoms are rarely reversible and there is no known treatment. The elderly, especially older women, and people who have consumed the drug for a long time, are at higher risk of contracting the disorder, which has also been known to affect infants who have been prescribed the medicine. The FDA has not approved the use of Reglan to treat infant acid reflux.

The drug, which is manufactured by Baxter Healthcare and is consumed by about two million Americans, is only approved for short-term use. However, a recent FDA study shows that one fifth of patients who participated in the study had been prescribed the medicine for more than the recommended maximum of three months. This chronic consumption of Reglan has been identified as the number one cause of drug-induced movement disorders.

For more information about Reglan and its devastating side effects, visit http://www.fda.gov/newsevents/newsroom/pressannouncements/ucm149533.htm

Quick Facts:

Generic Name: Metoclopramide.

Date Approved: 1979.

Status: On the Market.

Approved Uses: Acid Reflux Disease.

Side Effects: Tardive Dyskinesia or involuntary body movement.

Symptoms of Tardive Dyskinesia: involuntary movement of the extremities, tongue protrusion...