FDA's approval of Parkinson's new drug brings good news for elderly patients going abroad to see a doctor

[China Pharmaceutical network industry news] recently, according to a compilation of shengnuo, after waiting for 10 years for Parkinson's disease patients, the US FDA finally approved a new drug for Parkinson's disease treatment The FDA approved xadago (safinamide) tablet on March 21 local time as an additional treatment for Parkinson's patients who are taking levodopa / carbidopa and are in the "off" phase (FDA Approves Parkinson's new drug to bring good news to the elderly patients abroad Picture source: Baidu picture) Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative disease, which is common in the elderly The average age of onset is about 60 years old The prevalence of PD in the population over 65 years old in China is about 1.7% The "off" phase refers to the poor efficacy of the drugs taken by the patients, which aggravates Parkinson's symptoms, such as tremor or difficulty walking The corresponding "open" period refers to the reduction of symptoms without motor dysfunction According to the National Institutes of health, about 50000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease every year, and about 1 million patients are suffering from the disease Parkinson's disease is a neurological disease caused by the damage or death of dopamine secreting cells in the brain Dopamine helps to transmit signals between the brain, so as to make smooth and purposeful actions, such as eating, writing, shaving, etc The early symptoms of the disease are not easy to detect and gradually progress Some patients progress faster than others The efficacy of xadago in the treatment of Parkinson's disease was demonstrated in a clinical trial The clinical trial included 645 patients who were taking levodopa and were in the "off" phase The results showed that patients taking safinamide had a longer "on" period and a shorter "off" period than those receiving placebo In addition, the score of motor function in "on" period was higher than that before treatment In another experiment involving 549 subjects, compared with patients taking placebo, the patients who added xadago at the same time of levodopa treatment had a longer "open" period and no uncontrolled involuntary movement, similarly, the motor function score in the "open" period was higher than that before treatment However, the following patients cannot take xadago for Parkinson's disease: Patients with severe liver problems who take dextromethorphan (a cold and antitussive drug) who take monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) because of the sudden and severe rise in blood pressure Patients taking opioid drugs such as St John's wort (also known as Hypericum perforatum), some antidepressants (such as 5-hydroxytryptamine / noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic drugs, etc.) or cyclobenzaline are at risk of death due to the possibility of inducing serotonin syndrome Common side effects of xadago include uncontrolled involuntary movement, falls, nausea, and insomnia Other serious adverse reactions are uncommon, such as hypertension, hallucinations, and psychotic behavior and fever In recent years, the cases of going abroad to see a doctor are endless around us The types of services provided by the service institutions are also from medical tourism, medical cosmetology, physical examination projects to international referral services for cancer, cardiovascular disease and other serious diseases At the beginning of the company's establishment, the shengnuo family, which started the whole process consultation and service of going abroad to see a doctor, has clearly focused on the overseas medical service for serious diseases Due to its insistence on serious medical treatment, it has attracted more than 20 hospitals, including Massachusetts General Hospital, Mayo clinic, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Marsden cancer center in the UK, cancer research Youming hospital in Japan, etc The recognition of international hospitals, through the signing of cooperation agreements, largely guarantees the rights and interests of patients going abroad to see a doctor.