Reglan Linked to Severe Neurological Disorder
Reglan®
Reglan is a drug prescribed to treat a variety of symptoms, including heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite in some patients. Reglan’s chemical name is metoclopramide.
Reglan Linked to Severe Neurological Disorder
Reglan use has been linked to the development of a severe neurological disorder known as tardive dyskinesia (tahr-div dis-ki-nee-zhuh). According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, tardive dyskinesia is characterized by:
Repetitive and involuntary movements of the arms, legs, fingers, or toes
Uncontrolled grimacing
Sticking the tongue in and out (tongue protrusion)
Smacking, puckering, and pursing of the lips
Rapid eye blinking
Swaying movements of the trunk or hips
Tardive dyskinesia is often extremely embarrassing for the affected person, as the related movements are uncontrollable and unintentional.
The warning label of the drug cautions, “Tardive dyskinesia, a syndrome consisting of potentially irreversible, involuntary, dyskinetic movements may develop in patients treated with metoclopramide. There is no known treatment for established cases of tardive dyskinesia…”
Black Box Warning
Update: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced in February 2009 that Reglan manufacturers must add a black box warning–the strongest warning possible–to the class of drug’s label regarding the risk of its long-term or high-dose use. Chronic use of the drug has been linked to tardive dyskinesia, which may include involuntary and repetitive movements of the body, even after the drug is no longer taken, according to the FDA.
Reglan comes in the following forms:
Reglan tablets
Reglan oral distegrating tablets
Metoclopramide oral solution
Reglan injection
More than 2 million Americans use these products, according to the FDA.
If you or someone you care about has taken Reglan and been diagnosed with tardive dyskinesia, our law firm would like to speak with you. We may be able to help you and your loved ones win compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and the pain and suffering endured while affected by tardive dyskinesia. We want to help.
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