NY Times Article Implies Neurontin Is NOT Effective for Neuropathic Pain
-
-
October 8, 2008 at 5:42 pm
I suppose that for the purpose (newspaper spin) of the article in the NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/health/research/08drug.html)
Pfizer [I][B]”…manipulated the publication of scientific studies to bolster the use of its epilepsy drug Neurontin for other disorders, while suppressing research that did not support those uses….[/B][/I].The studies that are mentioned are not cited so I you can’t read them. But the article very strongly implies that Neurontin is NOT effective for neuropathic pain, and accuses Pfizer of fraud for suggesting that it does.
I thought our members using this drug would get a laugh at this…..I know I do – well not really a laugh, or even a chuckle…… There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that Neurontin manages my neuropathic pain – it makes it tolerable!
What is disturbing is the article: its intent and insinuations. Perhaps Pfizer does use fraud and misleading studies to promote their drugs. And whether or not they used these tactics to promote Neurontin is not important to me.
What is important is that it is articles like this that can cause doctors to refuse to prescribe, and insurance companies to refuse to pay for, a drug like Neurontin, leaving its users out in the cold.
Our government already intimidates doctors and insurers to prevent them from prescribing effective pain-killers…..all in the name of the “War on Drugs”. They are perfectly comfortable with letting honest people suffer so that maybe some drug addict will have a harder time obtaining these drugs.
-
October 8, 2008 at 7:19 pm
I totally agree Ken! Neurontin is actually used for Seizures but Doctors found it helped with Neuropathic Pain. It helps ease mine and seems to work better than the new drugs like Cymbalta or Effexor. Wonder how many are given gifts to promote new drugs so they can ruin a name that has been around for years but would rather see the new more costly drug out in the market bringing in higher dollars. They would rather see the dollar signs than to see us taking generic gapapentin. I totally agree with you
-
October 9, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Having been on Neurontin, Generic Gabapentin and now Lyrica I can say that all 3 helped me tremendously. I currently take Lyrica but without the Neurontin I don’t think I could of went through P. Rehab. and went on to the recovery I have had. So for me I think it is the reason I am where I am, and considering how much pain I was in 5 years ago I seriously doubt it could be considered a placebo effect or whatever they call it.
Jerimy
-
October 11, 2008 at 1:16 am
I agree totally with Jerimy. I have taken all three. Neurontin for 6 years and generic for 2 years and now am on Lyrica. All three have helped. Sometimes I forget to take the med, and the leg pain starts attacking !!!!
-
October 11, 2008 at 1:45 am
It is SO ridiculous to think that the drug companies are driving the agenda around what drugs are available to people, whatever the off label use.
I agree – these meds have worked for me for a number of years now. I forgot a dose yesterday; by the afternoon, I was useless in terms of breakthrough pain. I hope that the neurological community of physicians at least will recognise this for what it is, and at least continue to prescribe appropriately.
The sad part is if insurance companies decide that a particular med is not what they will cover, then people will needlessly suffer. I don’t live in the US, and come from Canada — so I only have experience with public systems. We have an organisation called Pharmac, that works with the medical community to ensure that the appropriate meds are available within the total available money. While some of their decisions are contentious – how long to fund a trial of Herceptin, for example – at least we have them as a barrier between the commercial interests.
I don’t think that the US has an organisation like that? I could be wrong…but I have a memory of reading that it would be really helpful in situations exactly like this.
Take care…hope all are well.
Debs
-
October 11, 2008 at 2:47 pm
yet approved for and paid for by insurance company pharmacy plans. Very, Very similar to that of IVIG.
The difference is that IVIG – one brand only, has been approved for use treating CIDP [just a few months ago]….all other brands are still ‘off-label’ uses. GBS is assumed to be a short term use of this treatment and isn’t considered an issue. IVIG use has been ‘off-label’ for decades really. Because of this, there is little incentive for manufacturers to conduct clinical trials – and medicare is too much of a hassle for THEM to deal with unless forced.
Neurontin manufacturers made some very strong and unfounded claims in selling this drugs’ use for nerve pain [over 5 years ago]. Tho it is approved now for post-herpetic neuralgia and diabetic neuropathies specifically, it’s not officially approved for other nerve pains. Tho many here are benefitting from the use.
The first claims of neurontin effectiveness were printed in their ‘prescribing information sheets’. Approx effectivness was based on ‘anecdotal’ reports from 200 individuals. Yes, that’s science for you.
Sure wish it were different. -
October 11, 2008 at 5:31 pm
[FONT=”Comic Sans MS”][SIZE=”2″]Well golly!
Ya sure coulda fooled me, had i known it wasn’t effective, imagine how much pain i’d have been in all this time!:eek:
Seriously, my granddaughter has epilepsy and i know that they tried Neurontin with her early on but it didn’t help.
According to my Neurologist early research found that it was less effective for seizure control than neuropathy, Huh
Who ya gonna believe?
Just goes to show ya, Believe half of what you read and none of what you hear. Or is that the other way ’round?
Just pray that some bean counter at the Insurance Co. or Medicare doesn’t get the NY Times;)
Scary thought.[/SIZE][/FONT] -
October 12, 2008 at 4:05 am
very interesting since I have just had my dose upped to 2400mg daily from 1800 I am feeling some relief again and my mom t
has taken it for a few year now for her fibromyalgia and neuropathy in her feet, nothing else worked for her and my sister takes it for her fubro also. They could easily do a study just reading this forum lol because it seems alot of us are on it and a big percentage it helps but if this gets pulled for neuropathy uses and my insurance doent want to cover it we will not be able to afford it then somebody is going to hear from me loud and clear and probably not real nicely since the pain is so bad without it! -
October 13, 2008 at 1:17 am
To Lyrica and cymbalta, and tried to get Provigil, but medicare part D, I have been on disability SS since GBS, turned it down…the reason they gave, it is a controlled substance. I am appealing this now and the DRS are gonna try again to get this for me. I have read on here where it has made a difference in their lives and thought I would like to try it. Drs. are trying to get it for me because I keep coomplaining to them I have no energy. They say the provigil will give me a shot of get up and go. I suppose too many druggies have used it to get a high, after taking some downers…like controlled pain meds…like the oxycodone I am on and have been for quiet a spell now. I don’t like it, but nothing else has helped all these years. Nothing suprises me about the drug companies and the big money they get off of poor sick folk.
God bless,
Drummer
-
